


No Game For Old Men - Book Five

by Ryk_Oakwine



Series: No Game For Old Men [5]
Category: Sekirei
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Dare to tell a new story, Embedded Images, F/F, F/M, Feels, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Multi, My alien sex slave is hotter than your alien sex slave, Non-Canon Relationship, Non-Canon Storyline, Psychic Abilities, Psychic Bond, Psychic Sex, Real People in Anime Situations, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-03
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-09-14 12:45:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 38,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9182368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryk_Oakwine/pseuds/Ryk_Oakwine
Summary: (Book 5 is incomplete, but still in progress.  I'm just a very, very, very, slow writer.)Not all Ashikabi are young men with blank slate lives like Sahashi Minato. Some have families, careers, friends, relationships. For most, the Sekirei Plan is a disaster that wrecks the lives of Ashikabi and Sekirei alike. This is the story of Sekirei 37, Madoka and all the others who weren't the special privileged favorites of the Gods and the Canon Author.





	1. Sekirei Number 44

No Game For Old Men

Book 5.1 - "Sekirei Number 44"

_Authors Notes: This chapter includes the first extensive use of Farspeech by the Sekirei in the story. We use braces, such as { and } to designate the start and end of Farspeech in much the same way that regular speech uses " to designate the start and end of vocal speech. Readers should easily understand how the convention works, in context. Farspeech is less clear when the speaker has a less disciplined mind, so jumbles of emotions might be intertwined with words. This is usually marked with a pound sign, #. Again, this should be understandable in context._

_{Farspeech or other Metapsychic communication}_  
[Memories]  
"Internal dialogue."

(◣_◢)NGFOM 5.1(◣_◢)  
(◣_◢)NGFOM 5.1(◣_◢)

Saturday February 22nd, 2020

Sanjunana Madoka, Sekirei number 37, rode impatiently in the passenger seat of her Ashikabi's Jeep Wrangler. She and her Ashikabi, Gregory O'Donnell, were driving to Ochanomizu Station, one of the many hundreds of commuter train stations scattered across Shin Tokyo. Madoka's best friend, Sekirei number 44, Yosuga, had just phoned from that part of the city to let Madoka know that Yosuga had finally been released into the city from the MBI Sekirei Labs and that she was waiting for Madoka to come meet up with her. Yosuga had been told to hide in the rail station and to watch the street out front for Gregory's orange Jeep with its white canvas top in 20 minutes. Madoka held her cell phone in her right hand, ready to pick up in case Yosuga called again.

Madoka hoped the phone remained silent; if it rang that meant there was a problem. She did not want any problems, she did not want any complications, and she did not want any drama. She had waited too long to see her friend for any nonsense to get in the way now!

She looked to her right, watching Gregory drive. He appeared to be driving them to Ochanomizu Station with haste, but not so fast as to draw the attention of the police or endanger others on the road.

She wished he would drive maybe a _little_ bit faster.

"So, Mado-chan," Gregory's deep voice broke the tense silence in the cab of the Jeep, "what's our plan as we approach Ochanomizu Station? And don't forget to keep subvocalizing what you're seeing and doing for the audio recording on your phone so we can review it later, okay?"

Madoka knew he was quizzing her on their predefined plans and their tactics for first meetings with other Sekirei in order to help her focus and calm her nerves. She appreciated the thought. Her earlier excitement about Yosu-chan being released into the city had been entirely replaced by worry about the many terrible things that could befall her friend before Madoka and Gregory could get to her.

"Yes, I will remember the recording, Gregory-kun. So, tactics. First, when you tell me that we are within half a kilometer of our objective I will focus my Farsense on trying to detect other Sekirei in the immediate area." Madoka looked off to the left again, out the passenger side window. She watched the lush foliage of the Imperial Palace grounds go by, illuminated by carefully placed lights behind the concrete retaining walls that lined the Inner Circular Route Tollway, which provided east-west auto traffic a scenic passage through the very center of Shin Tokyo.

After a moment she continued, "I will be looking for any winged Sekirei, since we are meeting with an unwinged Sekirei and the presence of a winged Sekirei in the area would be a red flag."

"Meeting a supposedly unwinged Sekirei, Mado-chan. We can't ignore the possibility that your friend has already been winged by an Ashikabi who is now using her as bait to draw you out for an easy kill."

Madoka clenched her jaw at the reminder. She knew it was a possibility that Yosuga had already been winged. This could be a trap set for her by Yosuga at the order of an Ashikabi who she could not deny. Madoka did not _want_ to admit it but she could not deny the possibility.

Watching the nighttime scenery go by through the passenger side window, she responded to her Ashikabi's reminder with a flat, "Yes. Just so, Gregory-kun."

After a moment, Madoka continued with their plan, "If I notice any winged Sekirei then we will assume they are there on purpose, either to ambush Yosuga or to ambush us. I will tell you immediately and we will drive by the target destination without stopping, watching for any sign of an unwinged Sekirei who could be Yosu-chan. If I spot an unwinged Sekirei, we will try to identify her. If it is Yosu-chan then we will pick her up and move away from the area quickly. Doubly so if there are winged Sekirei about. And, obviously, if there are no unwinged Sekirei in the area, we have to assume this was an ambush set for us by our target and we need to immediately withdraw, driving to safety as directly as possible."

"Good, Mado-chan." Gregory's baritone voice was soothing which she needed right now. He sounded pleased that she could confidently recite their pre-determined tactics for this situation. Madoka's mind was not really focused on the plan, though. Even the _idea_ that Yosuga could be winged to someone like Higa Izumi and be forced to take part in an ambush made Madoka's stomach hurt. Worse was picturing Yosuga being treated like 101 Oriha had been. Tied naked to a wooden contraption and whipped with a scourge? _That_ thought made Madoka want to throw up.

Gregory continued, reciting the next part of their predetermined plan for this sort of scenario. "If we are attacked by winged Sekirei we will haul our asses away as fast as practical. We'll use the Jeep to get away if possible; we'll go on foot if we must. Stay together, look for local police to connect with, and maybe discourage hostile pursuit. We'll deal with the consequences of talking with the police if and when that happens. That's a better option than running off alone and getting killed by hostile Sekirei."

Madoka was not entirely convinced Gregory was right about that though his arguments were hard for her to counter. _If_ a Sekirei was pursuing her who was going to terminate her anyway then… well, then he was right. In that situation it _would_ be a good idea to arrange for the hostile Sekirei to fight her in front of as many human witnesses as possible. The prospect of having to attack Madoka in front of many witnesses, especially if the witnesses included the Tokyo Police, _might_ convince a pursuer to let her go and to try again later.

It was just that… going to the human authorities went against everything she had been told growing up. Getting human authorities involved was the _worst_ thing any Sekirei could do according to the people in the MBI Sekirei Labs.

Gregory made the argument that the hypothetical hostile Sekirei in that scenario would be just as reluctant, maybe even more so, to get the Tokyo authorities involved. This made this an even more effective evasion tactic.

"Hopefully that isn't the scenario," Gregory added. "If we pick up your friend and get away from any potential ambushers, we will drive back to the Tokyo Grand Hyatt and invite her up to our suite. There is plenty of room, and if this is her first day out of the MBI Sekirei Labs then she is going to be disoriented and nervous. I will leave it to you to keep her calm and explain that she can sleep in our suite's living area. The couch in there turns into a guest bed. Or, if she prefers, she can rent her own room at the Grand Hyatt, or anywhere else if she wants, and we'll be glad to show her how that's done. But if she stays with us we can get her a late dinner and share breakfast in the morning and make sure she's briefed on at least the basics of navigating the city."

Madoka relaxed her frowning features and looked down at the phone in her lap. She murmured, "I hope it is simple and we get back to the hotel with Yosu-chan. Then I can tell her all the things I have learned so that she can have an easier time of it than I had."

Gregory reached over and squeezed her right hand with his left and reassured her, "Me too. I hope for the best right alongside you, Mado-chan. I know how much she means to you. But let's not take anything for granted, okay? Every new situation and encounter is a chance to practice our plans, test our tactics, to see if there's anything we missed and come up with polish for them. Better safe than sorry and never waste an opportunity, right?"

Making an effort to smile, Madoka looked over at her Ashikabi and nodded. "Yes, just so, Gregory-kun. Better safe than sorry. Though I am afraid this means I should probably start practicing using my Farsight while in a vehicle that is moving. It is quite a bit more difficult than using it while stationary."

She noticed that Gregory grinned at that suggestion. He knew she was not a big fan of adding unpleasant tasks to her to-do list and, thanks to the psychic backlash she experienced every time she lost control of her Farsight, what she was suggesting _would_ be unpleasant. Madoka was glad she had suggested it before he could. It showed Gregory that she was willing to do what was necessary but difficult. And that was one of the big differences between being a child and being an adult.

Once past the Imperial Palace they left the Inner Circular Route Tollway and began working their way along the densely populated streets of the north side of downtown Shin Tokyo. Shortly they were into Chiyoda Ward, which occupied the space north of downtown up to the Kanda River. The ancient river ran east-west and made for a natural border between the center of Shin Tokyo and the north of the metropolis. Madoka knew from the map on her phone that she was watching that the Ochanomizu Rail Station was right up against the south bank of the Kanda River. It was next to a four-lane bridge that crossed the small river and connected Chiyoda Ward on the south bank with Bunkyo Ward on the north bank.

They would be approaching the rail station from the south, driving directly past it and then onto the bridge and then across the river, unless she could spot Yosuga with her Farsense.

They were getting close.

"Mado-chan, we're 500 meters out. Buckle up! Wait, first get into the back seat! That way if your friend needs to get in fast she'll be able to get into the front seat."

"Oh, good idea, Gregory-kun!" Madoka unlatched her seat belt as she murmured into the cheek mic of her phone, "Note: add that to the checklist. I should start these things in the passenger side backseat and already buckled in. This so that the target can enter the easily accessed passenger front seat instead of trying to climb into the backseat while possibly in danger."

Madoka clambered into the back seat of the Jeep, climbing between the bucket seats and atop the center console. She struggled with her fancy dress as she went. She was _not_ dressed for climbing around inside the Jeep!

She caught Gregory checking out her butt in the rear-view mirror as she struggled to get into the back seat. She could only shake her head. Was there any circumstance under which her Ashikabi wouldn't ogle her? His regard was flattering but poorly timed.

Once she was in the backseat on the passenger side, she felt around in the dimly lit interior for the seat belt. Not having often been in the back seat of the Jeep she had a difficult time locating the straps and buckles of the seat belt. She did finally fasten it around her waist and across her torso. Madoka mentally patted herself on the back for remembering how to fasten the seat belt without Gregory having to help her and possibly cutting his hand badly, like what happened in December when 86 Katsuragi was chasing them. She then reached out with her Farsense, trying to detect any other Sekirei in the immediate area.

It was _far_ more difficult to use Farsense while moving in a vehicle, but she persevered.

Gregory called out, "Less than 100 meters now, Mado-chan! Start looking! Ochanomizu Station will be up on our right, far side of the crossing street, with the bridge across the Kanda River just past it!"

"I see it now, Gregory-kun." And she could, with her Farsight. Her eyes were now closed to help her focus. She had something of a bird's eye view above and behind the Jeep. Her point-of-view pulled back and up as far as she could manage without losing control, some 10 meters up was the practical limit. She could see the well-lit entrance to the Ochanomizu Rail Station ahead, past the many tall buildings that crowded close along the north-south running street on which they were driving. Just beyond the station was the darkness of the Kanda River and the brightly lit bridge that crossed it.

Madoka strained her Farsense, desperately hoping to find just one unwinged Sekirei in the area.

A strong glow caught her attention, ahead, to the right, and downward. " _So, inside the station itself and under the street level,"_ she thought. It was a very strong glow… too strong for an unwinged Sekirei. Madoka bit her lower lip and gripped her cell phone in her white-knuckled hand. _"No, no, damnit, no…"_ Their procedure said she should be telling Gregory immediately that there was a winged Sekirei ahead but she waited, hoping…

She sensed a second strong glow, also ahead and to the right, and downward. Two winged Sekirei! She could not deny it, no matter how much she wanted to. Was there a third Sekirei around, unwinged? She had to tell Gregory it was a trap, she had to tell him now.

_"Wait! There!"_

"Gregory-kun, there are two winged Sekirei in the station and they are moving fast in pursuit of a third Sekirei, who is unwinged! I think the unwinged Sekirei is Yosuga! Wait, okay, now I am positive. The unwinged Sekirei is definitely Yosu-chan! And she's being chased by two winged Sekirei!"

She heard her Ashikabi mutter a curse, "Damnit! Okay Mado-chan, I am going to drive by the station, slowly, and then keep going north onto the bridge. Once across the Kanda River we'll U-turn and come back south, across the bridge again and make another pass. Watch for the unwinged Sekirei, watch for any sign that she's moving out of the station and if so, in what direction, so we can try to catch up with her!"

Madoka was too focused on her Farsense to answer with more than a nod. They slowly rolled past the Ochanomizu Rail Station and continued north onto the bridge spanning the Kanda River. Madoka tried to keep her Farsight point-of-view stationary at the street corner that the rail station occupied as the Jeep continued moving away from the station. This was a _very_ difficult technique to attempt, keeping her point-of-view in a static location while she, herself, was moving away from it. She muttered a note for the audio recording to make sure to practice that, specifically.

Madoka intently watched the three moving glows of the Sekirei in the station. " _As long as they do not corner her, she will be okay; no one can catch Yosu-chan in the open, no one!"_

"Hurry, Gregory-kun! One of the winged Sekirei just exited the station and is watching the station exit from the rooftop while the other winged Sekirei is herding Yosu-chan towards the exit. We need to get back to the station so Yosu-chan can see us!"

Gregory called out sharply, "Is she outside yet? Or still being chased around inside the station?"

"She's still inside… but I think she will be running out of the station exit very soon! You need to go fast; do not worry about Yosu-chan catching up with us, she will catch us at any speed you are likely to drive at. That is what Yosu-chan does, Gregory-kun! She is faster than anyone!"

"Skeptical, but okay," Gregory muttered. "Guess it's time to break more traffic laws and hope that MBI Legal is still our friend."

He downshifted and made a _very_ illegal U-turn at the north end of the bridge and then accelerated back the way they just come. He was glad the streets were only lightly trafficked this time of night even in downtown Shin Tokyo. "We're coming up on the station again, Mado! Is she outside yet?"

"She is at the entrance to the station, but I cannot tell where the other Sekirei is, the one that was on the roof… ah, ow!"

Madoka cried out in pain as she finally exceeded her skill with her Farsense metafaculty and experienced the pain of her point-of-view harshly snapping back into her skull. She gripped her head in both hands and leaned forward in the back seat, eyes closed and face contorted in a grimace. She managed to shout out through the agony, "I lost it, Gregory-kun! I do not know where the ambushing Sekirei is, but Yosu-chan should see us driving by!"

(◣_◢)NGFOM 5.1(◣_◢)

Gregory grimaced when he heard the pain in Madoka's voice as she let him know her Farsense was out of play for now.

"Damnit, damnit," he growled while watching to his left, out through the rolled-down passenger side window. He could see the wide entrance to the train station ahead. It was set at a 45-degree angle to the street corner. Somewhere up above that entrance there was probably an enemy Sekirei waiting to jump down onto Madoka's friend.

A loud thump startled him, and then he realized something had struck the back of the Jeep. He slammed on the brakes, terrified that he had run over a pedestrian thanks to paying attention to the train station instead of where he was driving. Surprising him even more, a lean Asian girl with dark hair and golden skin swung down off the canvas roof of the Jeep and then onto the foot rail that ran along the passenger side of the Jeep. He only had time to notice that she wore a leather bikini top covering her small breasts and low-cut matching pants before she stuck her face through the open passenger-side window and yelled, "Go! Go!"

Gregory's mind took a terribly long time to register that his new passenger had run across the open plaza in front of the station entrance, jumped at the Jeep, and had then grabbed the rear bumper and the rear rollbar. She'd then climbed up and over, to the passenger side. The delay, caused by Gregory trying to figure out what the hell was going on, caused the girl to shout again, "Go! Gehen Sie jetzt, schnell! Schnell!"

What the hell? Was she yelling at him in German?

Madoka called, weakly, from the backseat, "Gregory, go! They are right behind her!"

Gregory stomped the gas and took off, going through the gears as quickly as the Jeep's straight-six engine would allow. Gregory could only hope that meant that the bikini-top-clad girl who was attached to the passenger side door of his Jeep and yelling at him in what sounded like German was indeed the Sekirei they were here to pick up.

As the Jeep lurched forward and sped up another girl ran across the plaza, angling towards the intersection the Jeep was approaching. Gregory caught a vague impression of short blonde hair, an outfit that revealed a lot of skin, and what looked like ropes or strings in the girls' hand? She expertly lassoed the tubular front bumper of the Jeep as it passed her, and then she pulled back hard on the strings she was gripping in both hands.

"Whatthefuck?!" Gregory's startled exclamation filled the cab of the Jeep and his thoughts sped on, unbelieving what he was seeing. _"Is she insane? This Jeep weighs almost 4000 pounds and we're accelerating forward! There's no goddamn way she thinks she's going to stop us!"_ He watched in incredulous amazement as the hostile blonde Sekirei was yanked off her feet and into the air by the pull on the black strings in her hands.

Gregory slammed on the Jeep's brakes which caused the girl to fly in a short, sharp arc and then impact the street in front of his vehicle with such force that there was a noticeable crater where she hit.

He had to give the girl credit for guts. She immediately leapt to her feet and somehow withdrew her strings from the Jeep's bumper, all in one smooth maneuver. Her clothing was shredded from the impact with the street but the only injury he could see on her was a perfectly round bruise right in the center of her forehead.

Not knowing what to make of that, or what to make of her shrugging off an impact that should have broken every bone in her body, Gregory decided that the wise course of action was to follow what both Madoka and the presumed Yosuga were now screaming in his ears.

Gregory hit the gas and ran down the blonde Sekirei in front of his Jeep.

(◣_◢)NGFOM 5.1(◣_◢)

Gregory lay on his stomach on the very comfortable king-sized bed that was the centerpiece of their suite at the Tokyo Grand Hyatt. Since he had some time alone he was using his personal tablet to make copies of the audio files from his and Mado's phones from the evening's excitement, renaming the files according to the naming conventions he had developed for them and moving them to the appropriate storage folder.

He wished he were good enough at scripting to make a macro that would do these mundane data maintenance tasks for him automatically. He opened his Notebook from where it lay next to him on the bed and jotted down "ask Hara Kohaku if he can script". Number 76 Midorino's Ashikabi had proven to be competent with tech and had introduced several new ideas to Gregory, like the _Hushmail_ encrypted email, SMS, and chat system that they were all using now. Maybe he knew a good way to automate some of this data entry stuff.

Was it really just earlier today that he and Mado had barbecue lunch with Hara Kohaku and 76 Midorino?

 _"_ _Long damn day."_

He jerked in surprise when Mado sat on the bed next to him. He hadn't heard her enter the room. He'd assumed she would be talking with Yosuga until dawn since that's how most teenage girls would be when reunited with a dear friend after months of separation.

"Gregory-kun? Yosu-chan is sleeping on the guest bed in the living room as you suggested. We did not talk long. We agreed it was better to save it until tomorrow when we are all rested."

He nodded his agreement with that idea, glad Mado's friend was settled for the night. He continued his work with the tablet without adding any comment to what Mado said.

"Gregory-kun, Yosu-chan is also certain that she saw 31 Sai, the Sekirei you ran over, get up after we were past. We are both certain you did not kill her when you ran over her. Yosu-chan told me that it was 31 Sai and 18 Ichiya who were chasing her. Both of them declared to her that they were bonded to Izumi Higa and were there to take her to him to be winged. We really did save Yosu-chan from a fate worse than death."

Turning off the screen on his tablet, Gregory then set it aside on the table next to the bed. He swung his legs off the bed and sat on the edge, elbows on his knees, hands clasped, head bowed. "Damn. I'm sorry, Mado-chan, looks like Higa got to 18 Ichiya too. So I guess the blonde one was 31 Sai? Your descriptions of Ichiya never portrayed her as a slender blonde with black strings or ropes as a fighting tool."

His Sekirei nodded. "Yes, the blonde we ran over was 31 Sai. I have never met her as she was not in Group 11. But she identified herself to Yosu-chan at one point in their chase tonight. And we did not see 18 Ichiya since she was the one chasing Yosu-chan inside the station. Gregory-kun, I am certain I saw 31 Sai stand up. You did not kill her, I am sure of it."

"Okay. Well, that's good to know, I guess. She had a dark bruise in the middle of her forehead. Was that Yosuga-san's doing?"

Madoka laughed softly and sat on the bed next to him. "Yes. Like I said earlier Yosu-chan is very fast. She was never as strong as the other fighting types but she was always far faster than anyone else, even 16 Toyotama and 14 Chiyo. She uses a pair of fighting sai as her weapon of choice and she told me she scored a direct strike with the pointed end of one of her weapons right in the center of 31 Sai's forehead. Would that count as irony? Or just an amusing coincidence?"

Gregory smiled slightly and turned his head to look at his beautiful Sekirei. Her expression clearly showed that she was worried about him.

He had not reacted well when he thought he had run over and killed the blonde Sekirei with the black strings. Mado had not been able to get more than a few words from him the entire drive back to the Tokyo Grand Hyatt. He left Madoka entirely in charge of figuring out what to do with 44 Yosuga while he retired to their bedroom, stripped to his boxers, and poured himself a glass of scotch before distracting himself with busywork.

"Mado-chan, I've taken the time to think about it and while I'm glad that 31 Sai wasn't killed or seriously injured… if she had been then I'd have to be okay about it. I couldn't risk you just because I was too squeamish to do what was necessary. Even if what was necessary was running over a pretty blonde teenager who didn't have any choice but to be there doing what she was doing, all because her Ashikabi happens to be an amoral monster."

He took her hand, kissed her palm, and then looked somberly into her eyes before continuing. "I'll kill any other Sekirei, or Ashikabi, or MBI employee, if that's what it takes to keep you safe. You are my life now, Mado-chan."

He wasn't entirely okay with that prospect, but he would keep telling himself that he was until he could do whatever was necessary, without hesitation.

Nodding her understanding his Sekirei got up from the bed and then turned down the room lights before removing the party dress that she'd chosen for their dinner date tonight. Gregory's eyes quickly adjusted to the dim illumination in the luxurious hotel room. He watched her as, wearing nothing but a very brief thong and sheer white thigh high stockings, she hung up her dress and then slowly walked back to the bed, stopping directly in front of him.

All but nude and standing in the twilit room she was so beautiful that she took his breath away. Again.

She gave him that small, mysterious smile that she had. The one that made him think she knew _secrets_. Secrets of sex and pleasure; secrets that she would share with him if he were very fortunate.

"I know, Gregory-kun. Let me show you how grateful I am for your devotion, my Ashikabi."

She pushed him backwards onto the bed and followed him, straddling his legs and then moving up along his body until she lay pressed against him from his knees to his chest.

Gregory did not spend any more time that night worrying about the fate of 31 Sai. Instead, he learned a few more of his Sekirei's mysteries and secrets before sleep finally took him barely an hour before dawn.

(◣_◢)NGFOM 5.1(◣_◢)  
(◣_◢)NGFOM 5.1(◣_◢)

Sunday February 23rd, 2020  
Roppongi district, Minato Ward, Shin Tokyo  
The Tokyo Grand Hyatt

Sekirei Number 44, Yosuga, wore one of the Tokyo Grand Hyatt's thick, fluffy bathrobes for warmth as she relaxed in the winter sunshine that bathed the patio of Madoka and her Ashikabi's hotel suite. It wasn't terribly cold out, 10C or so, but the plush bathrobe was the most comfortable thing Yosuga had ever worn so she kept it on as she lounged in the sun. The weather was not unpleasant, especially compared to last night when it was almost freezing when she decided to take a ride on the _outside_ of Gregory O'Donnell's Jeep. While wearing nothing from the hips up except a skimpy leather bikini top.

Not her smartest decision, that. Not the jumping onto the Jeep, no, that part was smart. But her outfit… And after she'd convinced Madoka to go with something practical, too. She was sure she would never hear the end of it from Madoka. Yosuga's choice of clothing was nowhere near practical for winter in Shin Tokyo.

Even her black leather pants were less than completely covering. They were tight as a second skin and rode very low on her hips where what was laughably called the "waistband" barely covered her pubic bone. A criss-cross laced section took the place of the traditional centered zipper-fly and was offset almost all the way around to the side, by her hip. Since the open fly was off-center so much she could get away several centimeters peek-a-boo naked skin showing from her hipbone down to her thigh.

They were hot looking pants, she thought. But with the small bikini top in matching black leather, the fingerless black leather gloves, and the knee-high black leather boots, this was not what anyone would call "winter clothes".

Nor would they call the outfit "subtle" or "keeping a low profile". The fit of insanity that caused her to order this outfit when the MBI Administrators came to take her requirements for the Sekirei Plan was a mystery to her. This was _not_ what she had prudently advised her dear friend Madoka to go with. And, of course, Madoka actually listened to her and for herself ordered blue jeans, a silk blouse, and a ski-jacket with a hood.

Yosuga knew she was going to be teased for this for the rest of her life.

" _See, this is what happens when you don't have boobs,"_ Yosuga thought morosely. _"You end up overcompensating, showing off your other attributes."_

At least the outfit did that. It showed off her athletic build, especially her muscular stomach, trim waist, and slender hips.

Now she had the chance to second-guess her moment of insanity when she decided on this outfit and dread when Madoka finally woke up and joined her on this patio. Her friend had not said anything last night as it was late and they were all tired, worn out from adrenaline if nothing else.

Where was Mado, anyway? The patio had a door from the suite's living room and from the suite's bedroom. Yosuga had slept on the comfortable couch/guest-bed last night and late this morning upon awakening she'd noticed that the door between the living area and the bedroom was firmly shut. Outside on the patio she could see that the curtains of the bedroom part of the suite were drawn over the windows too. Therefore, Madoka and her Ashikabi were no doubt still abed and Yosuga had no clue as to when they would finally get up. She was hungry so she hoped they would join her soon. Madoka had mentioned the three of them having lunch together today just before she'd gone off to join her Ashikabi for the night.

Yosuga wondered how long Madoka had been wing bonded to her Ashikabi. Madoka had been taken away from Group 11 for "adjustments" several months before the first Phase One releases occurred so Yosuga did not know when Madoka had been freed to roam Shin Tokyo. It could have been months ago or just a few weeks. Madoka and her Ashikabi _were_ sharing a bed, that much was clear. And there didn't seem to be any awkwardness hinting that the arrangement was a new development.

Yosuga had been utterly shocked last night when she saw how _old_ Madoka's Ashikabi was. She'd done her best to hide her reaction and act like everything was normal and as expected. But while Yosuga never minded the possibility that she might end up with an Ashikabi that was older or overweight or poor and struggling, Madoka had always expressed a very different set of priorities. Yosuga had heard Madoka's list of features she expected her Ashikabi to have so many times she could recite the list as easily as Madoka could. And neither "old" or "American" were anywhere on that list. Nor were "balding" or "skinny", both which applied to Gregory O'Donnell.

Yosuga knew there had to be a story behind how Madoka, of all Sekirei, ended up with an Ashikabi like Gregory O'Donnell!

Looking around the luxurious hotel suite Yosuga admitted that at least Madoka's Ashikabi was seeing to it that Mado enjoyed the finer things in life. Older man, young lover, expensive gifts. Hardly an uncommon pattern, Yosuga realized.

_{It is not like that, you know, YosugaSisterOfMyHeart.#warmlovingsmile}_

_{MadokaSisterOfMyHeart! Goodmorning!}_

Forewarned by Madoka's Farspeech, Yosuga looked over to the patio door leading from the bedroom as it slid open and Madoka stepped out. The little blonde was dressed comfortably in what looked to Yosuga to be expensive casual clothes; no jeans and t-shirt but rather she wore a tight, black, body stocking with a turtleneck and with sleeves that ended just above the elbows. A black leather belt was snug around her slim waist and then a knee-length blue skirt that rode low on Madoka's curvy hips. Yosuga admired the knee-high, dark blue, leather boots with their chunky wedge heel that added 5cm to Madoka's diminutive stature.

_{We could get you a pair just like them, YosugaSister, if you like. There is a Nordstrom's within walking distance of this hotel.}_

Envious, as always, of Madoka's disciplined and clear Farspeech, Yosuga grinned from ear to ear and answered, aloud, "Oh no, please Mado-chan, don't make me go shoe shopping!"

Yosuga stood up from the comfortable patio chair that she had been enjoying and walked over to her blonde friend. Yosuga dropped the bathrobe from her shoulders and let it fall to the patio floor, revealing her almost bare torso and the no-doubt-soon-to-be-teased-about bikini top. She then wrapped her arms around Madoka in a bear-hug, holding her friend, the sister of her heart, as tightly as she could, enjoying the warmth of the other Sekirei.

"Oh, Mado-chan, I missed you so much," Yosuga bent her head forward and rested her cheek against the top of Madoka's head. The difference between her 180cm height versus Madoka's 150cm was really obvious when they were hugging, Madoka's 5cm boot soles or no. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of her friend's blonde hair as the wind whipped around them. Yosuga continued, "All these months since you were taken away were so lonely. It was so hard not having you near, not hearing your voice, not having your Farspeech in my head. The only other Sekirei in Group 11 that I could trust enough to Farspeak was 57 Yahan and you know she isn't the chattiest sort of girl at the best of times."

Madoka had slipped her arms around Yosuga's slim waist and returned Yosuga's hug as hard as she could. She turned her face so her cheek was pressed against Yosuga's leather bikini top, which she finally had to say something about. "57 Yahan? Did the sister of my heart finally find someone to unthaw her? That explains your clothing then. Inspired by Yahan's penchant for black cloth, belt buckles. Why no black cloak?"

Yosuga just grinned, rubbing her cheek against the top of Madoka's head. "Go on, I expected nothing else but to hear about my clothes. And for your information I didn't get my ideas from 57 Yahan, though I will grant there's some similarity between our styles. And don't think I don't spot your inquisitive nosiness about my love life, Mado-chan. As I'm sure you know, Yahan does no more for me than any other girl, or boy for that matter, in Group 11."

She could feel Madoka's pout against her skin. "Well, damn, Yosu-chan. I had hoped maybe you would have someone to keep you company after I was gone. I am sorry."

Still holding on tightly to her short blonde friend, Yosuga shrugged her shoulders. "No, Mado-chan, nothing changed after you were taken, as far as my love life goes. It can still be accurately described as 'never got it, never will'."

Leaning back a bit so that she could look up at Yosuga's face, Madoka smiled up at her friend's dark almond-shaped eyes and said, "Someday soon that will change, Yosu-chan. There is no way MBI messed up on your Adjustments so badly that you will not love your Ashikabi and will not want to share physical love with him. Or her!"

Leaning backwards a little herself so that it was easier to meet Madoka's sky-blue eyes, Yosuga pasted on a smile and sighed. This was a well-known pain for her. After her Puberty Adjustment, she had been wracked with headaches and body tremors for so long that it was obvious something had gone wrong. By the time the headaches had been mostly resolved, after dozens of more Adjustments, it became obvious to Yosuga, and her best friend Madoka, that there was more wrong than just the headaches. Yosuga never felt one iota of sexual desire all through her adolescence in the dorms. Not an attraction to boys, not an attraction to girls, not even any interest in self-exploration.

Once, she forced herself to try to have sex with Madoka, after months of seeing her friend regularly sharing intimacy with 16 Toyotama and occasionally with 18 Ichiya. Yosuga felt that even if she didn't _feel_ the desire for such play she could still _do_ the same things the other girls were doing and make her heart's sister happy.

Well, that had turned out to be a very bad idea. In truth it had been a complete disaster that ended with weeping and hurt feelings on everyone's part. It had taken weeks for the two to recover from it.

This abnormality, coupled with her small breasts (extremely small for a Sekirei, only a B-cup!), a face most accurately described as "plain", and a figure that Yosuga felt was more boyish than feminine, all gave Yosuga a very cynical view on matters of love, sex, and Ashikabi. She feared she would never find an Ashikabi, denied the love of a mate since she was denied any desire for mating.

Madoka knew this and had always insisted that was not to be Yosuga's fate.

Yosuga hoped her friend was right, but she wasn't going to bet on it. She put aside the old familiar pain and kissed Madoka's forehead, "Maybe so, Mado-chan. Maybe finding my Ashikabi will fix what MBI broke, eh? Now, if you are finished with teasing me about my outfit maybe you can show me how we can get food delivered to this room so I don't starve and then you can tell me the story of how you met your Ashikabi!"

Madoka's clear laughter accompanied another hug and then she stepped back from her tall friend. "Yosu-chan dearest, if you think you are getting away that easily about your clothes, after all the lecturing you did about how bad it would be to attract the first guy who was enticed by bouncing boobs and bare skin, you are so very sadly mistaken. So. Very. Mistaken." The little blonde grinned wickedly up at Yosuga then continued, "But! I will let it be for now and order us all room service for lunch as I too am hungry. I am also sure that Gregory-kun will be up very soon and he always wants something to eat after waking. Come on, let us go look at the room service menu."

Yosuga followed Madoka back into the hotel suite's living room with a genuine smile of happiness on her face. She reached out with her Farspeech, slightly rusty after so many months of not having anyone other than 57 Yahan to bespeak. _{I so missed you MadokaSisterOfMyHeart. I feel I could burst from happiness now that we are back together, all my fears and loneliness of the last months fading away in the happy glow of your company.  
#LoveAndAffectionAndFinallyEasingLoneliness!}_

Madoka smiled back over her shoulder at Yosuga and sent _{And I am pleased to have you here with me at last, YosugaSisterOfMyHeart. I have ever so much to tell you and much to share with you. I am also very glad to have someone I can Farspeak with again! It feels like forever since I could bespeak anyone. During that time I felt as though I were cut off from my roots, my people. It is as if we who can speak mind to mind are a people apart but I never realized it until I could only use my physical voice for so many months.}_

_{#ShockAndDisbelief. You cannot bespeak your Ashikabi, MadokaSister?}_

Madoka shook her head and handed Yosuga one of the room service lunchtime menus before picking up one for herself. Madoka began making a list of what to order, writing down each item on the pad of paper next to the phone on the suite's wet bar. Yosuga began looking for what she wanted to add to the order for herself.

Madoka's always-disciplined and correctly structured Farspeech answered Yosuga's jumbled and disbelieving question, _{No, YosugaSister, I have never managed to Farspeak Gregory-kun. Only a few isolated sendings of emotions. We have had some other connections between our minds that have nothing to do with Farspeech and everything to do with my healing ability, which you and I will speak of later. Gregory's talents do not lie in metapsychic abilities, so that makes Farspeech difficult. Now that you are here perhaps I will try with him more; I had not realized how much I missed it.}_

(◣_◢)NGFOM 5.1(◣_◢)  
(◣_◢)NGFOM 5.1(◣_◢)

_**From the notebooks of Gregory O'Donnell** _

_**Sekirei** _

_44 Shijushi Yosuga:_ Yosuga is a fighting type who uses a pair of sai as her weapon of choice. She says she chose the sai because the art of sai fighting, called Ryukyu Kobujutsu, fits with her special Sekirei physical gifts.  
Unlike most of the fighting type Sekirei, Yosuga is not much stronger than a very fit normal Terran human. Instead of having great physical strength Yosuga's Sekirei abilities manifest themselves in the form of great speed.  
Her hand to eye coordination is unbelievable and she can move parts of her body at speeds far beyond what I have ever seen anyone manage. Standing 3 feet away from her I held a baseball in each hand at shoulder height out to the side and then dropped them simultaneously. Before they hit the ground she had grabbed both out of the air.  
Any feats of coordination and speed of hands she can perform at incredible levels. She can strike with her sai, one in each hand, 10 hard strikes per second per hand and keep that pace up for more than a minute without strain.  
I've yet to get her on a track to test her running speed or had the chance to determine how she manages to leap as many as 10 stories up at a time (which should be impossible no matter how strong her legs are for a variety of reasons).  
Obviously, more measured research into the supposedly physical Sekirei is needed.

_**On Metapsychics** _

**Metapsychic Functions**

_Farsense_ _(New Information):_ Any metapsychic Operant who has the ability to use Farsense (and as far as we can tell all operants have _some_ degree of Farsense; it is the most basic and common metafunction) can use the Farsense metafunction to communicate to other operants. The term for this is Farspeech.  
The Farsense metafunction has a secondary manifestation that has little to do with emulating any of the traditional 5 Senses. This isn't "speaking" by vocalizing more loudly than a set of physical vocal cords can manage. Nor is it super-hearing, allowing someone to hear a whisper from miles away. Instead, Farspeech is classic, simple, mind-to-mind communicative telepathy.  
One might assume that more than "Farspeech" this might be "Farhearing", as that would stick to the model of enhanced senses, enhanced beyond the limits of reason even, that is so convenient for the other Farsense manifestations. It is simple for us to understand "Farsight", since we all have eyes and can see normally. We simply think of it in terms of a "super" version of our already understood sense. Is "Farspeech" instead really "Farhearing", where a metapsychic sensitives is _hearing_ someone's desire to communicate (in the same "super" sense that Farsight is _seeing_ something beyond the eye's ability to perceive)?  
From what few tests we have been able to perform so far, it would appear that it is extraordinarily difficult for a metapsychic operant to send Farspeech to a latent. And _impossible_ to send Farspeech to an inoperant. This strongly implies that there is _some_ aspect of the receiver's metapsychic ability being worked in order for Farspeech communication to function.  
As Farspeech originating from a latent or inoperant is also impossible (as far as we know), it may be that both the sender _and_ receiver are utilizing their Farsense metafunction in order to communicate.  
Testing regimes for establishing range, interference media, and other limitations and features need to be established and testing begun in order to quantify this metafunction (which was almost entirely neglected by MBI, even more so than the Farsight manifestation of Farsense).

(◣_◢)NGFOM 5.1(◣_◢)  
(◣_◢)NGFOM 5.1(◣_◢)

 _Started July 19, 2015_  
_Resumed Oct 1, 2015_  
_Completed Oct 3, 2015_  
_Posted Nov 3, 2015_


	2. Lunch with Yosuga

**No Game For Old Men**

Book 5.2 – "Lunch with Yosuga"

o.0/NGFOM 5.2\0.o  
o.0/NGFOM 5.2\0.o

Sunday, February 23rd, 2020  
Roppongi district, Minato Ward, Shin Tokyo  
The Tokyo Grand Hyatt

Gregory O'Donnell woke slowly with the feeling that surely he had not slept enough. The bed he was sleeping in was comfortable - very comfortable - as he expected of the Tokyo Grand Hyatt. The pillow had the scent of his beautiful Madoka still on it but the spot next to him where she normally would be sleeping was no longer warm. The lights were off, the temperature in the room was just right, and the windows covered. What was it that woke him up?

{ _And I am so very happy to have you here with me at last, YosugaSisterOfMyHeart._ }

_Mado?_

Gregory lifted his head from the pillow and looked around the dimly lit hotel room but did not see his Sekirei anywhere.

{ _I have ever so much to tell you and much to share with you. I am also very glad to have someone I can Farspeak with again!_ }

Farspeak? Is that why it sounded like Mado, because it was Mado using "Farspeak" to talk to Shijushi Yosuga? Gregory realized he couldn't "hear" anything from Yosuga, only Mado's mental voice.

"Great, just great. Not only will I get to listen to the two of them gossiping and catching up, even when I'm in the other room, but I'll only get half the conversation!" Gregory's muttered complaint went unanswered.

Gregory glanced at his cell-watch and noted that it was just after noon so he had managed seven hours of sleep even if he did feel a bit groggy still. Time to get up and get going. Lord only knew how long it was going to take to get Shijushi Yosuga settled today. There was a lot to tell the girl and a lot for the girl to decide for herself, like where she was going to live while searching out her Ashikabi.

Trying to ignore the mental speech of Mado chattering about what to order for room service, Gregory dragged his tired carcass out of the comfortable bed, stumbled into the suite's decadent bath, and got ready to face the day. He hoped Madoka ordered him Belgian waffles…

o.0/NGFOM 5.2\0.o

The three chose to have their lunch out on the balcony, which had plenty of seating and tables for an outdoor meal. It was windy up here on the 23rd floor but the sun was shining and the temperature was mild for late February.

Once they had taken seats around the low patio table Madoka was kept busy making sure everyone had the proper food that she had ordered for them. Drinks as well; coffee for herself and Gregory, hot tea for Yosuga. She knew from years of friendship with Yosuga that the other Sekirei had never acquired a taste for coffee and preferred tea with her meals. The dark-haired girl also preferred traditional Japanese cuisine so Madoka had made sure to order plenty of udon and sashimi to go along with the western food she and Gregory preferred.

When she saw Gregory's eyes light up happily at the plate of Belgian waffles that she slid in front of him, she offered him a bottle of dark, thick, syrup. "Genuine maple, Gregory-kun."

From his seat at the table, Gregory leaned over to take the bottle from her and then he set it next to his plate. "I love you Mado-chan. You're the best, seriously. _You_ understand the importance of genuine maple syrup. You're not one of those vile 'maple _flavored_ syrup' people!"

She returned his smile, happy that her Ashikabi was happy. She had stressed to room service that they were to bring _genuine maple syrup_ with the waffles. And if they didn't have it then she would order something other than waffles. They assured her that the Tokyo Grand Hyatt only served the _very best_ and that included their selection of waffle and pancake toppings.

Since her Ashikabi had an almost unhealthy love of pancakes and waffles, she knew she could not go wrong ordering them for him, even if it was lunchtime. As long as the room service people made good on their promise of genuine maple syrup!

Tucking her blonde hair behind her ears to keep it from blowing into her face in the strong breeze, Madoka settled in at the table. Madoka then made sure she had everything she'd ordered for herself. Seeing that all was well she looked over at Yosuga then laughed at her dark haired friend's baffled expression. "What is it, Yosu-chan? It is a lot of food, I admit, but the food service here is just so good you will have no problem finishing everything we ordered. Trust me on that."

Yosuga - her long, straight hair pulled back in a simple ponytail to stay out of her soup - was just starting on her tuna sashimi on rice while eyeing the nabeyaki udon bowl that was waiting for her attention next. While there _was_ a great deal of food on the patio table and all of it smelled delicious, it was not the food that had caused Yosuga's bewildered expression.

"No, Mado-chan, the food is fine. I just never expected to see you setting a lunch table and making sure your mate had his favorite foods. Nor ever expected to see you glowing with happiness about it." Yosuga's smile removed any possible offense from her statement though Madoka felt her cheeks warm from embarrassment in spite of herself.

"Mah, Yosu-chan. No teasing me in front of my Ashikabi!" Madoka joined her friend in laughing, happy to see Gregory also found the atmosphere relaxed as he chuckled along with them. Madoka said, "Though you are right; I would not have guessed at how happy I could be just doing simple things like having a late breakfast from room service and making sure my Ashikabi has his favorite dish for his meal. I even caught myself enjoying cleaning the kitchen last week. It was bizarre and strange. It scared me. I cried for hours."

Gregory laughed, set down his silverware to pick up the coffee carafe, and then poured himself a cup. As he stirred creamer into the coffee he looked across the table at Yosuga and said, "Shijushi-san, don't believe it for a minute. She's pulling your leg; Mado-chan has never once enjoyed cleaning the kitchen. Unless grumbling and complaining when it's your turn is a way of voicing your happiness, dear?"

Madoka - still blushing - reached over and swatted Gregory's arm. "Hush, you. I _said_ it was bizarre." She busied herself arranging the quartered club sandwich and the piping hot croque monsieur she had ordered for her own lunch. The two sandwiches did not want to fit on the single plate so she pretended all of her attention was occupied by her food.

Gregory picked up the conversation in order to give Madoka a chance to regain her composure. "So, Shijushi-san, last night when we picked you up, were you yelling at me in German?"

Yosuga covered her face with her hands in embarrassment and Madoka laughed softly, hand covering her mouth politely. Yosuga answered, "Yes, it was. I'm sorry, I didn't really mean to yell. It was a difficult situation is all! Though, Gregory-san, please, call me Yosuga. I keep wondering who you are talking to when you say 'Shijushi-san'. Our fake family names weren't even known by us until they released us into the city, so it wasn't until this week I had even heard that 'Shijushi' was my name."

Gregory smiled at the dark-haired Sekirei and nodded his understanding. "Very well, no problem, Yosuga-san. I get it about last night, I really do. That was a crazy scene at the train station. I can't imagine how scary it must have been for you to be thrown into something like that immediately after being released by MBI."

Nodding her head as she picked her chopsticks back up Yosuga agreed. "It was very scary actually. I don't make a habit of screaming ' _schnell! schnell!_ ' at people in normal circumstances, I promise."

All three laughed at that and then Gregory asked, "So, you learned German while in the MBI Sekirei Labs? What inspired that?"

When Gregory noticed that Yosuga seemed reluctant to answer the question so he glanced at Madoka and quirked an eyebrow at her in unspoken question.

Madoka was smiling while stirring cream into a new cup of coffee for herself. She poked Yosuga's leg under the table with her big toe and teased, "Come on, Yosu-chan. Explain to Gregory-kun how you ended up with German as your second language instead of English."

Gregory blinked and looked from Madoka to Yosuga and asked, "Really? You didn't learn English at all?"

Grimacing at Madoka, Yosuga answered, "No, I didn't learn English at all. Okay, here's the way it was. We were all taught Japanese, obviously. In addition to that we were all required to select one non-Japanese language to learn. Madoka chose American English and I chose German. She enjoyed languages so much that she also picked up German, just so that I would have someone to practice with. It was very sweet of her to help me with my German."

"Say again?" A surprised looking Gregory turned from Yosuga to look at Madoka. "Mado-chan? You speak German too?"

Madoka nodded and shrugged self-deprecatingly. "Yes, Gregory-kun. Learning languages was easy for me. It is no big deal."

Yosuga could see that Madoka was embarrassed and was downplaying her faculty with languages to her Ashikabi for some reason. The other Sekirei couldn't resist teasing her blonde friend, "German, Japanese, American English. How many others, Mado-chan?"

Madoka glared at Yosuga over the rim of her coffee cup and ignored the question.

With a triumphant smile Yosuga turned to Gregory and answered her own question. "Nine is how many, Gregory-san. At least she spoke nine languages last _I_ knew. Maybe she has picked up another four or five out here in the city over the previous few months?"

Her Ashikabi now staring at her made Madoka feel self-conscious. She scolded her friend, "Yosu-chan! No, I have not learned more languages. I have been busy. You brat! Stop telling my secrets and embarrassing me in front of my Ashikabi!"

Yosuga could only laugh and Gregory could only shake his head in amazement.

As he cut another of his waffles into bite sized pieces Gregory then asked, "What other languages do you speak, Mado-chan? I've been incredibly impressed with your fluency in Japanese and English. Which one you learned as a second language it's impossible to tell since you speak both with perfect fluency and with utterly natural accent. It was one of the things I noticed when we first met and was certainly a mysterious attribute. One that intrigued me greatly, given my line of work."

Madoka shrugged and pretended to be occupied with her club sandwich. After a moment - in which she realized that Gregory was not going to just let it go - she reluctantly answered, "In addition to Japanese, American English, and German, I learned French, Italian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Russian, and Thai."

"Good grief, Mado-chan!" Gregory shocked exclamation amused Yosuga and embarrassed Madoka. "Most of those aren't even related! That's like what, six completely different languages, with entirely different linguistic roots, and three more that are only technically related? Most people - if they set out to learn more than one new language - stick to similar languages because it is much easier. Like, they'll learn French, then also Italian, and then Spanish, and then Portuguese. Then they can claim they learned four languages but with much less effort than learning four completely unrelated languages."

Yosuga looked up from her bowl of udon and nodded slowly. "That makes sense. The only other Sekirei in Group 11 who learned more than the minimum required languages stuck to related ones like you mentioned. They did that because it's a lot easier then?"

"Right, just so, Yosuga-san," Gregory answered. He continued, "But, Mado-chan, you've got English, German, and Russian, which are all Indo-European languages but they've got very damn little in common with each other in spite of that so it's a huge stretch to say they are related enough to make them easier to learn once you've got one of them."

Gregory reached for the coffee carafe to top off his coffee and continued as he poured, "Then the two most spoken Chinese dialects, Cantonese and Mandarin? _And_ two Romance languages, French and Italian, so I'd bet you could get by in Spanish and Portuguese. Plus Japanese as fluent as any native. And Thai atop all that? Thai? Sure, there's 65 million people in Thailand who speak it but the roots of Thai are completely separate from Japanese or Chinese so learning it is as difficult as learning a completely new language."

Madoka nodded reluctantly. She really did not care to look like a studious geek but there was no helping it in this case she realized. Language _was_ Gregory's profession and she'd known that this would come out eventually.

"It was easy for me to learn languages, Gregory-kun, so it was my hobby in the dorms. That's all it was. I learned all of the languages any of the other Sekirei in Group 11 learned. 57 Yahan loved movies and documentaries about beaches so she fell in love with Thailand. Since she chose Thai to learn in addition to American English I learned it with her. 57 Yahan was always nice to me and Yosu-chan so helping her with Thai was something I could do to repay her kindness."

Yosuga nodded agreement with Madoka's description of events. "It's true it was her hobby. I doubt she'd have studied so much with it if it wasn't something that came to her naturally. Our Mado-chan was the least academically inclined Sekirei in all of Group 11. I think she was allergic to reading if it didn't have to do with learning a new language."

With a scowl on her beautiful face Madoka tried to redirect everyone's attention to the other Sekirei. "Come on, Yosu-chan. Tell Gregory-kun _why_ you chose German for your second language. I am positive he would like to hear that story."

This time it was Yosuga's turn to look at her plate and pretend to be too busy to answer a question. Madoka smiled at her friend's embarrassed expression.

"It can't be that bad, Yosuga-san," Gregory put in. "Why did you choose German? After all, it's not terribly common in this part of the world. I understand there was a lot of influence from Prussia during the Meiji Restoration and of course there was World War 2, but…"

Yosuga mumbled something in reply but Madoka wasn't going to let her get away with that. Madoka prodded, "What was that, Yosu-chan? We could not quite hear you."

"Gah, fine!" Yosuga faced Gregory and held her chin up defiantly. She said, in as dignified manner as she could manage, "I chose German because at the age we were when we had to choose I was convinced that if I knew German I would have a better chance of getting my own Jaeger Mech to pilot once we were free from MBI."

Gregory's expression was priceless, causing Madoka to crack up first. Soon all three were wiping tears from their eyes from laughing so hard.

Gregory wiped his face and noted, "It must have been quite a disappointment to find out there are no giant mecha of any kind, much less Jaeger Mechs."

Yosuga shrugged, still looking embarrassed, and answered, "Yes, it was. But that's okay! I've made it my life's mission to engineer the first practical workable Jaeger Mech! Someday, someday, I promise, I will stomp through Shin Tokyo's streets at the helm of a 250-foot tall engine of death and destruction! Then we'll see who's laughing!"

Madoka almost fell out of her chair, laughing.

o.0/NGFOM 5.2\0.o

All three then devoted most of their attention to the delicious lunch that had been prepared for them. Once the worst of his hunger had been blunted by the waffles and maple syrup Gregory poured himself a bit more coffee then offered to top off Madoka's cup as well. She shook her head so he set the carafe down and then he looked across the table at dark-haired Sekirei who'd joined them last night.

"So, Yosuga-san, to business. There's a lot of information Madoka wants to make sure you have before you have to make any decisions about where you're going next and what you want to do. Since we need to be back at our apartment by at least 7pm because I must be at work in the morning we should make this a 'working lunch', if that's okay with you."

Yosuga - having returned to her tuna sashimi after having finished the udon bowl - nodded her assent so Gregory opened his Notebook and started flipping through it looking for a particular page. Madoka was now tapping on her phone screen as well, no doubt looking for her own notes.

"Mado-chan," Gregory noted, "it occurs to me that we forgot one rather obvious thing we could have done ahead of time that would make things easier."

"What is that, Gregory-kun?"

"We could have already made a list of everything a friendly newly released Sekirei needs to know. We could have even had it already printed out and just hand the pamphlet to her so she could read everything we think she needs to know at her own pace. Then if she had any questions she could just ask us."

Madoka shook her head, "You are right, Gregory-kun. We should have been better prepared than this. So, next time, then."

"Just so," Gregory answered. "Well, no help for it, we'll just have to wing it with Yosuga-san here. Please take notes, Mado-chan, and make a list later of what we need to put into a New-Friend pamphlet as well as a separate Newly-Released-But-Not-Sure-If-Friend-Yet package? There's different levels of disclosure of our own plans and efforts we'd discuss depending on the level of friendship we had with the newly released Sekirei after all. Please note the time so we can go back over the audio logs of this conversation and get a transcript from both of our phones."

Gregory noticed that Yosuga looked a bit bemused at the discussion between Madoka and himself. He said, "You'll understand what we're talking about later. There's a lot of stuff to go over that MBI either didn't know or didn't care to inform you about."

The next two hours were filled with discussion of what Madoka had learned in the two and a half months she had been out in Shin Tokyo. They talked about her early December encounter with 16 Toyotama, 86 Katsuragi, and Higa Izumi. They told Yosuga about how it was possible for an Ashikabi to force a Sekirei into Wing Bonding against her will and how Higa seemed to be doing so with multiple Sekirei to build up an irresistible force. They discussed how Higa's subordinate - Kakizaki - had winged 22 Kochou and the brain-type Sekirei was giving Kakizaki, and thus Higa, inside information about the release schedule and locations of Sekirei.

They stressed how 22 Kochou was how Yosuga had been ambushed by Higa's Sekirei 18 Ichiya and 31 Sai as soon as she'd stepped out of the automated MBI mini-bus at the Ochanomizu Rail Station last night. 22 Kochou's access to MBI's information systems, imperfect though that access might be, was a game changer for the entire Sekirei Plan. A factor MBI had failed to calculate when putting together the Sekirei Plan and establishing the enforcement mechanisms behind the Plan.

They also told Yosuga about Madoka's encounter with 16 Toyotama in January. They explained what they had learned about how on that day in January Toyotama was actually seeking the newly released 48 Kujika but she had apparently fortunately avoided capture.

Yosuga was very saddened by the tale of their mutual friend 86 Katsuragi and the unhappy fate that had befallen the quiet, shy, girl. Yosuga also had sympathy for Madoka about what happened to 16 Toyotama as well. Yosuga knew better than anyone else exactly what the relationship between Madoka and Toyotama had been.

Yosuga kept her opinions to herself for now but she held Madoka's hand and made the appropriate sympathetic noises during the recounting of that terrifying afternoon.

Gregory noticed Yosuga's reserve over the subject of 16 Toyotama and made himself a mental note to speak to Yosuga as soon as practical about the former relationship between Madoka and Toyotama in the Group 11 Dorms. Gregory had a lot of anger that had built up, anger aimed at MBI and their so-called Researchers, from when Madoka had told him of that part of her life. The way she had described her adolescence came across like a Russian Women's Prison more than any life for teenagers in a civilized country.

Yosuga helped their own notes by adding information about the two Sekirei who tried to grab her last night at the Ochanomizu rail station. Just a week before Yosuga had been released for the First Phase of the Sekirei Plan, 18 Ichiya had been taken out of Group 11 to be released into Shin Tokyo to find her own Ashikabi. Ichiya had said that she intended to look in the east of Shin Tokyo for her friend, 16 Toyotama. Ichiya hinted that she had received a message telling her that was where she could find her friend.

"Well, I think we can assume she did indeed find 16 Toyotama," Gregory said. "And it would appear that Higa did indeed Wing Bond 18 Ichiya. God only knows how many Sekirei he has by now. We know for certain that he has 16 Toyotama, 18 Ichiya, 31 Sai, 86 Katsuragi, and 101 Oriha. All wing bonded to him personally. He also has access to other Sekirei such as 22 Kochou due to having influence over other Ashikabi. It wouldn't surprise me if he had other Ashikabi under his influence, granting him access to even more Sekirei though it's unclear how dedicated those would be to his cause."

Madoka looked terribly guilty and buried her face in her hands. "Aie! I should have sent a warning to Ichiya! The same way I sent Yosu-chan my phone number I could have warned Ichiya against looking for Toyotama! It is my fault Ichi-chan is bonded to that terrible man now!"

Yosuga spoke up in disagreement, "Mado-chan, you aren't at fault. Even if you had managed to get such a warning to Ichiya-san - which is not a guaranteed thing itself - she would have ignored it. She would have had no reason to believe any warnings saying Toyotama and her Ashikabi were dangerous. She'd have assumed such a warning was more gamesmanship and part of your Ashikabi's efforts in the Sekirei Plan. For those of us who were held back to be released later there was nothing but rumor and gossip about such ploys for the last few months. So, Mado-chan, understand that nothing was going to stop Ichi-chan from searching out Toyotama. You know that, Mado-chan. They were friends for too long, just like you and me."

"Do you think Ichiya joined them voluntarily?" Madoka looked unconvinced, worried that she could have done something to warn Ichiya away from Higa and Toyotama.

Yosuga shrugged and then sighed, "I don't know, Mado-chan. She could have. Ichiya followed Toyotama in everything. If Toyotama met with her after Ichiya's release and told her about her wonderful Ashikabi and how she wanted Ichiya to be with her in his service… Ichiya would have been glad to let this Higa Izumi guy kiss her, whether she was having a strong reaction to him or not. She wouldn't have known what kind of guy Higa Izumi really is and a note supposedly from you wouldn't have convinced her over Toyotama's endorsement of the guy. Besides supposedly the more Sekirei an Ashikabi has the stronger the Ashikabi becomes. Even if Higa Izumi wasn't a perfect match for Ichiya-san she very well could have reacted to him due to how many Sekirei he had already winged and how strong an Ashikabi that's made him by now."

Madoka nodded. The picture Yosuga painted matched with what Madoka knew of Ichiya and her relationship with Toyotama. Number 16 chose the direction and the route, number 18 supported her and went along. That was how they had been their whole lives in Group 11.

Gregory asked, "Yosuga-san, what was that about Ashikabi being more powerful with more Sekirei wing bonded to them?"

"Just one of the things we'd heard over the years," Yosuga explained. "There wasn't a lot of solid information about how Ashikabi and Sekirei worked so there were always rumors and such about the process. One that was fairly well known was that the more Sekirei an Ashikabi had the stronger that made him as an Ashikabi."

Gregory looked over at Madoka and raised an eyebrow.

Madoka shook her head and answered his unasked question, "No, I do not remember hearing that one but I never paid as much attention to such things as Yosu-chan did. It does make sense with what we know now about the way a Sekirei increases the Ashikabi's Metapsychic Power Rating. It makes sense that the Sekirei's Bonus To Ashikabi would be cumulative."

"Another example," Gregory speculated, "of information MBI _could_ have had and _could_ have planned for but didn't? Because it's pretty obvious that they never considered the likelihood of Ashikabi establishing a Wing Bond with multiple Sekirei. Especially to the degree that Higa Izumi is doing so."

Yosuga agreed with that observation. "When you consider that the entirety of the Sekirei Plan's enforcement falls upon the Disciplinary Squad, which was supposed to be just one Sekirei, 04 Karasuba but then in January they came through and picked up 104 Haihane and 105 Benitsubasa to add to the Squad, it seems likely that MBI originally thought one single-digit Sekirei would be enough force to keep any problematic Sekirei and her Ashikabi in line. But by January they realized that at least one Ashikabi, this Higa Izumi guy, had acquired enough Sekirei that even a single digit like 04 Karasuba couldn't be entirely confident of defeating in a fight. So they added two more Sekirei to the Disciplinary Squad at the last minute in order to make it far more powerful a force. When they took 104 and 105 out of Group 11 rumor had it that they were going for special "Adjustments" to eliminate whatever MBI did to all of us to limit our powers, too."

Madoka looked worried at that observation. "That would make this so-called 'Disciplinary Squad' a very dangerous entity then. Especially given that 105 Benitsubasa was always short tempered and difficult at best. If she was given authority and was made stronger by special Adjustments she would be a walking time-bomb, just waiting to go off."

Gregory jotted down a line in the Notebook to query both Madoka and Yosuga more in depth about this Disciplinary Squad later. It appeared that Madoka had not heard of this group of Sekirei Plan enforcers yet Yosuga had. If that was a pattern, if it was common that Madoka had paid less attention to issues involving the Sekirei Plan and Yosuga had paid more, then Yosuga would be a priceless source of new information. Information that Gregory, Madoka, and their allies, desperately needed.

Moving on for now they talked to Yosuga about how to best use her MBI Platinum Card and about how to acquire a cell phone that MBI would not be likely to compromise. They spoke about why she needed to feed MBI inaccurate information about where she was, where she spent her time, and what she was doing. They explained why this was important and why simply "going off the grid" would never work against an organization with MBI's resources.

Yosuga surprised Gregory with how much she already knew. She already knew about the 500,000¥ per day limit in withdrawing cash from ATMs and had already planned to use that function of the cards to build up emergency funds. When Gregory asked how she learned of such things, Yosuga explained that MBI had briefed all of them on the basics regarding the MBI Platinum Cards and about how to use them to survive in the city until they found their Ashikabi. MBI had not pointed out how the cards could best be used by the Sekirei - for instance they didn't mention how storing up cash reserves for emergencies was a good idea - but they had at least gone over how the cards worked and what could be done with them.

Gregory turned to look at Madoka, confused by the fact that she knew little or nothing of how to survive in the city when she was newly released by MBI. Madoka wouldn't meet his gaze. Instead she pretended to be fascinated by her lunch.

"Mado-chan?"

"Okay, okay! Yes, Gregory-kun, I slept though most of the briefings and lectures! They were boring!"

Gregory shook his head in disbelief as Yosuga laughed and Madoka scowled at her lunch plate.

They discussed again how it was 22 Kochou and her ability to get information from MBI's networks that was allowing Higa the ability to set up ambushes for newly released Sekirei. This weakness of MBI's information networks meant the other Sekirei and Ashikabi needed to do their best to keep their own information away from MBI.

Anything MBI knew about them they could assume Higa and his Sekirei knew as well. And what Higa Izumi knew other Ashikabi might know as well. And that was a very dangerous situation to be in.

"Why would 22 Kochou do this?" Yosuga asked. "We never met the girl. She has no reason to do things like this, to have us hunted down!"

Gregory shook his head and looked out over the darkening city of Shin Tokyo. "Yosuga-san, you do not understand the strength of the bond between an Ashikabi and his Sekirei. 22 Kochou's Ashikabi is this bootlicker, Kakizaki. And since Kakizaki wants to serve Higa Izumi then it would seem that 22 Kochou will do whatever she is ordered to do to help Higa Izumi."

Yosuga looked at Madoka and saw agreement there. As far as Madoka was concerned Gregory was describing the situation accurately.

"It's a terrible situation," Gregory continued. "That Sekirei could be forced into Wing Bonds with Ashikabi who are hateful and abusive probably comes as a shock to many newly released Sekirei. But that's the reality of the Sekirei Plan, regardless of whatever fairy tale MBI convinced itself and the Sekirei of."

Yosuga looked stricken and looked again to Madoka, searching her little blonde friend's face for confirmation of what Gregory was telling her. When Madoka only nodded and sighed sadly, Yosuga looked ready to cry. She might have little in the way of grandiose dreams of romance and eternal happiness with an Ashikabi but hearing such news was still a blow.

A somber expression on her face, Yosuga let out a sigh and looked away from the balcony at the evening-lit city below. After a moment she said, "Then it really is dangerous for me, or any Sekirei, to spend very much time searching for an Ashikabi. If we spend too long searching for a perfect match we could end up forced into a Wing Bond with some bastard like Higa Izumi or his bootlicker."

"Pretty much," Gregory agreed. "How much risk is hard to tell. In the First Phase there _shouldn't_ be any attacks out in public since it's a high priority for MBI to keep the Sekirei Plan secret until the Second Phase. However, as you've seen with Higa's Sekirei who ambushed you at the train station, that idea isn't working entirely. We've met other Ashikabi and Sekirei who are more peaceful and cooperative than Higa's group, but you never know what you're going to run into."

Madoka added, "Practicing your Farsight so you can sense when other Sekirei are nearby would help in keeping you safe if you are out in the city searching for your Ashikabi."

"Great," Yosuga complained. "The one ability I've never been any good at!"

"I will help you get better at it," Madoka promised her friend. "It just takes practice, Yosu-chan."

o.0/NGFOM 5.2\0.o  
o.0/NGFOM 5.2\0.o

After the remains of lunch were cleared away Yosuga retired to the suite's bathroom to take a shower and relax in a hot bath. Gregory was on the patio love seat with a bottle of diet coke and a cigarette. Madoka joined him and took one of his cigarettes from the pack on the low table in front of them. She lit the cigarette with his lighter, the flame flickering wildly in the strong breeze.

"You really shouldn't smoke, you know," he couldn't resist mentioning.

As usual she shrugged and dismissed his concerns with an airy wave of her hand. "Well, Gregory-kun, if I live long enough to get emphysema you can say you told me so."

He could only sigh in reply to that. She had a point.

With the sun at the horizon and the wind constant on the 23rd floor balcony Gregory had already added a sweater over the cotton button up shirt that he'd worn for lunch. Madoka wore a sweater as well, hers being thigh-length and with an overlarge faux-turtleneck. He put his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled up against him. The two sat quietly enjoying the peace and quiet and the view of Shin Tokyo spread out in front of them for miles in the golden, late afternoon sun.

"Since Yosuga is in the bath and we have a moment of privacy," Gregory began. "I wanted to know what your plans were for her? Do you want her to stay at the apartment? I don't think we want her to know about the safe house in Ebisu yet, but it's really up to you, Mado-chan."

Madoka nodded, exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke, and then watched it whisk away in the wind. "Thank you Gregory-kun. That you trust me with decisions like this and make sure to get my opinion means a great deal to me. I know I would not be consulted in such things with many other Ashikabi I might have had."

He could only shrug at that. She was right; with how many Japanese men thought of women she would have been shut out of most important decisions. It was just the way things were in Japan even in the 21st century.

"Well, you're the one who can be terminated with just a touch and the recital of some verse," he pointed out. "If you trust her to be where we sleep then I can do no less."

Madoka answered immediately, "I do. I trust her. Until she finds her Ashikabi I do not believe there is any risk from Yosu-chan. And considering how difficult it was for me in my first week I would be more comfortable with her staying with us so that I can show her around the city some and help her get oriented at least. We will get a promise from her that if she does find her Ashikabi she will notify us immediately, before he could convince her to betray us, if that is the sort of person she ends up with. I think that would work, Gregory-kun. She would be willing to send us a text message saying 'I have found my Ashikabi'. And once she notifies us we could treat her and her new Ashikabi as any other first contact scenario?"

"Alright, Mado-chan. Talk to her and find out what she wants to do and whatever you two decide I'll go along with. That's a good idea, as well, arranging for her to text us both as soon as she Wing Bond's with an Ashikabi, no matter who it is. Then, like you said, we can use our First Contact protocol for meeting her and her Ashikabi. Though, I gotta say, if we are staying at the apartment instead of the safe house all through the week, it's going to cut into our together time."

"Meh, Gregory-kun. I am _not_ sleeping in Mishi's room with Yosu-chan while you sleep alone all week. Maybe for the first night, just so she feels comfortable and she and I can stay up late and talk girl talk. But you are just going to have to get used to the idea that you and I share a bed now, wherever we happen to be sleeping. If we are sleeping at the apartment then you and I are sleeping, _together_ , at the apartment. That is just the way of things now. It is time to accept that."

The finality in her tone of voice left Gregory little room to argue. He sighed and then nodded, giving into the inevitable. Besides, with March coming up and that being the last month of the academic year he would be very busy with school, leaving him little extra time for trips to the safe house during the week. He might as well just accept that they'd be living at the O'Donnell apartment for the next month and accepting Madoka into the master bedroom bed as well.

After all he wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of sleeping alone for most of the next month either.

o.0/NGFOM 5.2\0.o  
o.0/NGFOM 5.2\0.o

Gregory finished washing his hands and grabbed the plush hand-towel hanging near the sink. Appreciating anew how luxurious the bathroom in the Grand Hyatt suite was, he was broken out of his reverie by an insistent knock on the bathroom door. Madoka's voice came through the thick wood door, "Gregory-kun! Hurry up!"

Tossing the hand towel onto the sink counter he then turned to open the door, "Okay, good grief, I was only in here a minute. Pushy, pushy!"

Grinning at his little blonde Sekirei as she entered the bathroom and when she then turned to push him out the door Gregory held up his hands, "I'm going, I'm going!" She shut the door behind him and he chuckled and then went to the suite's living room area where Shijushi Yosuga was waiting alongside Gregory and Madoka's packed bags.

Picking up his wallet, keys, and his phone from the coffee table Gregory asked Yosuga, "So, Yosuga-san, did you decide what you wanted to do as far as a place to stay?"

Yosuga nodded. "Yes, Gregory-san. Mado-chan said she'd like me to stay with you two at your apartment and of the options pointed out to me that sounds like the best one for now. If you're sure it's okay with you?"

"Of course, it's fine. You're more than welcome," Gregory assured her. "I don't think Mado-chan would invite just anyone from Group 11 to stay at our home but she assures me that she trusts you more than any of the other Sekirei. You'll have to remind us if we slip into speaking English. Mostly we use Japanese but sometimes we slip."

She nodded and said, "I will, don't worry. I should have learned English like most of the others. But making silly choices when we are young is a common experience for Sekirei and humans alike I think."

Gregory smiled his agreement and leaned against the corner of the couch. He made himself comfortable and looked over the tall, lean Sekirei that Madoka had been so eager to have back as her friend.

Yosuga and Madoka could not look more different from each other. Where Madoka was short, curvy, feminine, blonde, creamy of complexion, and had a face that you could never forget, Yosuga was tall and lanky with classic Asian straight black hair and golden skin with a pink undertone that was a few shades darker than was typical for Japanese people. Her face was not unattractive but she was not exactly pretty either. "Plain" would perhaps be the word Gregory would use. Maybe better than plain. Whatever word would fit between plain and pretty. Her almond-shaped dark-brown eyes were attractive but they were her best facial feature.

Thanks to the revealing outfit Yosuga wore - hiphugging leather pants and a small, black-leather bikini top - he could appreciate how fit she was and she absolutely had a certain amount of sex-appeal due to her trim, athletic build.

He observed that she had a pair of silvery sai sticking out of the top of her knee-high leather boots, one on each side. That answered his curiosity about whether she carried her weapons and how she did so.

Gregory belatedly realized that she was looking _him_ over with just as much evaluation in her eyes as he no doubt showed in looking _her_ over.

She said, "You're not what I expected for Mado-chan's Ashikabi."

Gregory snorted his amusement at that statement. He said, "Yeah, you could say that again and be right twice. No, Yosuga-san, I'm not what Mado-chan should have had as her Ashikabi. Not in any way. I don't deserve her, not in the least, and the fact that she was forced into circumstances that made me her best choice is an offense against her that I plan on beating the hell out of both Higa Izumi _and_ Hiroto Minaka for." By the end of that he was scowling fiercely, which seemed to convince Yosuga that he meant what he said.

She frowned and then pounced on something he'd said, "Forced into? How was she forced to take you as her Ashikabi?"

Gregory held up both hands, gesturing for Yosuga to calm. "It's not what it sounds like. I didn't force her into anything. It was circumstance that forced us both; circumstance engendered by Higa Izumi and his Sekirei not unlike what you experienced last night. If you want the whole story you'll have to ask Mado-chan. It's her story to tell, really. Though you should know that I would never force her into anything, at all."

Mollified by Gregory's firm declaration of innocence Yosuga took a deep breath and plunged ahead, pointing out another aspect of Madoka's Ashikabi that she had noticed but hadn't been brought up at lunch. "I also never would have guessed she would have an Ashikabi who was married."

Gregory glanced at his left hand to make sure he hadn't somehow worn his wedding band again after the decision he'd made to stop wearing it when Karen had left. The ring finger was still bare so he looked up at Yosuga, meeting her eyes from across the room.

Realizing that he had given himself away by checking his wedding ring finger - and he figured lying to Madoka's friend about the subject was pointless anyway - Gregory nodded and admitted, "Yes, I am married. I've been married for twenty years, actually. We have two children; Mark, who is 20 and stayed in the States when we moved to Japan five years ago, and Mishi, who is 16 and has been here with us since she was 11. My wife, Karen, left Japan in December and returned to the States. They are living in our New Hampshire home where both of our families live nearby."

Gregory looked down at his bare ring finger and frowned introspectively, continuing, "You could best describe our marital status as 'separated'. Karen, Mark, and Mishi no longer speak to me other than yelling at me and sending me long, angry, accusative emails occasionally."

He scowled and concluded, "And before you ask, yes, my wife left because of my involvement with Mado-chan. Or… that was the catalyst for the separation. Obviously, I couldn't tell her about the Sekirei Plan and at that time Mado-chan and I were not lovers, only newly bonded Ashikabi and Sekirei. In fact, we had only kissed the one time, the night she Wing Bonded to me and that wasn't by any real desired choice on either of our parts. Circumstances put us in a situation where that was the only thing we could do. But my wife became convinced that I was having an affair with Mado-chan so she took our daughter and she left me. If we weren't Catholic it's entirely likely she would have filed for divorce. But we are, so we're simply separated."

Yosuga picked at the waistband leather strings of her pants, seemingly embarrassed at having put Gregory on the spot like that on what was obviously a difficult subject. After a moment she asked, "Why are you so willing to let me stay at your home? I expected Mado-chan's Ashikabi to be concerned with winning the Sekirei Plan and looking at all of the other Sekirei as enemies."

He shook his head and shifted where he was leaning against the side of the couch. "No, not me, Yosuga-san. Moreover, I don't think most Ashikabi will be inclined to buy into MBI's insane 'fight, fight, fight until only one remains' Sekirei Plan no matter what amazing prize might be offered. Especially without defining what that prize is, in detail. _And_ with bulletproof legal arrangements to guarantee the winner will actually get the prize. Most people aren't idiots and aren't going to just trust the obviously insane Hiroto Minaka to deliver on vague promises. No, with the half-assed way MBI and Minaka have set this up very few Ashikabi are going to be enthusiastic about participating in the Sekirei Plan. I'd bet most will be actively trying to convince their Sekirei to not have anything to do with it."

Gregory met Yosuga's eyes when she looked up at him with an expression of surprise and doubt. He insisted, "Seriously. It's just not something most people are going to want anything to do with. Whoever at MBI thought they would find 100 random Japanese young men and women for the Sekirei to bond with and that those young people would be enthusiastic about a battle royale to the death where only one Sekirei could survive… whoever came up with that plan was an utter fucking moron. So I figure it was probably Hiroto Minaka. Everything he seems to have had his hands on after about 2005 seems to be completely insane, demonstrating a complete disconnect from reality."

Yosuga snickered at that and sounded as if she agreed with him. This puzzled Gregory; after all, Yosuga was as much a victim of MBI's brainwashing and conditioning program as Madoka was. While Madoka was no longer convinced of the Sekirei Plan, Yosuga did not have the benefit of months of an Ashikabi's influence to explain why she would be against the Sekirei Plan.

Yosuga smiled at Gregory, looking more relaxed than he had seen her yet. The honest and open expression on her face improved her somewhat plain appearance. He had the impression that in spite of her tall, lean build, her dark coloration, and a face that seemed to settle into a bit of "resting bitch-face" when she wasn't paying attention, she was the one between her and Madoka who was gregarious and outgoing.

He tried to recall Madoka's demeanor when they first met and he realized that Yosuga and Madoka were almost entirely opposite in personality than what their appearances would indicate. Madoka, with her gorgeous blue-eyes, blonde-hair, gleaming white-toothed smile and a sporty-party-girl build was actually very reserved and even introverted. It had taken quite a bit of work on his part to convince her it was worthwhile to reach out to other Sekirei and Ashikabi couples. She was _not_ sociable, in spite of what she looked like. Moreover, it looked like Yosuga was the opposite; sociable and outgoing in spite of looking like the bitchy, hardass, dark and broody sort.

Gregory thought to himself, _"She looks like 'High School of the Dead's' Saeko Busujima but she acts more like Rei Miyamoto."_

Well, she didn't have Saeko's tits. Otherwise, it was not a bad comparison.

Gregory made a note to himself to watch how others reacted to the two Sekirei and to see if others had the same preconceived notions of their likely demeanor based on their looks. It might be amusing to see how people reacted to the tall dark girl being the friendly, outgoing, one and the pretty, curvy, blonde girl being the introverted and sulky sort.

"Well, Gregory-san, I will ask her for the story of your meeting and the Wing Bonding, then. If she ever gets out of the bathroom."

Gregory grinned sardonically and nodded, "Yes, well, even though Mado-chan has the special Sekirei power of 'Every Day Is A Good Hair Day' she still takes more than her fair share of time in the facilities."

A voice called from the now-open bathroom door, "I do not either, Gregory-kun! Stop spreading false and malicious rumors behind my back, you evil Ashikabi you."

He grinned at Yosuga, who laughed in reply to his description of Madoka's super powers. Gregory turned to face his Sekirei as she walked out of the bedroom part of the suite. "So, are we ready to go, Mado-chan? Our bags are packed and we're 4 hours past check out time. Sadly MBI will have to pay for an entire extra night on this suite now, thanks to our long afternoon lunch on the balcony."

Madoka waved away any concern about MBI's expenses, "I know that such a thing only adds to your amusement, Gregory-kun. Any time you can stick it to MBI and the Professor it pleases you."

Before Madoka could continue she was interrupted by a loud beeping sound coming from her knapsack. Almost immediately her phone and Gregory's phone picked up the alert, chiming insistently as well.

Gregory and Madoka looked at each other in surprise for a moment and then Gregory lunged for the bag, unzipping it, digging through it, and then pulling out the half-forgotten Emergency Services Scanner.

Madoka was tapping through the linked-in app on her phone that allowed her to view what the scanner had detected. "Gregory-kun it looks like a multi-vehicle accident with injuries, right near the hotel."

He had managed to shut off the alarm on the scanner and was tapping through its screens, nodding agreement with her summary. "Yes, on the street to the south of the Roppongi Hills block. I bet we could see it from the balcony. Come on."

He stepped out onto the balcony and looked towards the streets far below. It was now past sunset but there were many streetlights in this district. It was easy to make out the vehicles below, even if he was 550 feet above street level.

The two Sekirei joined him and all three leaned against the balcony railing, looking for signs of the vehicle accident on the street below. Gregory made yet _another_ mental note to himself to have MBI's Platinum card buy them a couple top of the line binoculars for this sort of situation.

Yosuga spotted it first, pointing, "There!"

Gregory and Madoka looked where she pointed and, sure enough, there were many vehicles at a stop in the street. It was a three-way intersection and it looked like someone in a car had pulled out in front of a delivery truck which had been traveling at speed before the impact. Other vehicles seemed to have been involved after the initial crash but it was hard to tell how many from this far away.

Yosuga asked, "What's the importance of this? I don't understand."

Madoka replied tersely as she grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder, "I need to get down there immediately so that I can try to heal anyone who was injured. Gregory-kun, please kiss me."

Gregory nodded agreement, jolted out of his shock and reminded of the tactics they had already drawn up for this scenario. First thing, if they were where there were no witnesses, get Madoka her Norito. So he turned to his Sekirei, hugged her tight, and kissed her firmly.

Standing behind her little blonde friend, Yosuga was startled by the billowing bright yellow fluorescence of Madoka's wing flare, which surrounded Yosuga and illuminated the balcony for a long moment.

After Madoka and Gregory finished, Yosuga – now a bit wide-eyed – asked, "Mado-chan, you need to get down there immediately?"

The other Sekirei answered, "Yes, right away. We can all take the elevators. Gregory, will you take our bags to the Jeep and meet us at the accident?"

Gregory knew she was already aware that was the plan but nodded agreement anyway. "Yep, I'll join you at the scene as quickly as possible."

"Mado, why go that way? I can jump you down to the ground from here. We can jump from here to the top of that building over there," Yosuga pointed to a 12-story building next to the hotel. "From there we can jump to ground level."

Gregory and Madoka looked at each other, and then Gregory shrugged. "It's up to you, Mado-chan. It would be a lot faster. Though it will be a cold day in hell before _I_ let a skinny teenage girl pick me up and leap off a 23rd floor balcony. Just sayin'."

He thought he detected some reluctance on Madoka's face too but it disappeared quickly, buried under an expression of determination on his Sekirei's beautiful features. "Okay, Yosu-chan, let's go then. Gregory-kun, we will see you down there."

Yosuga stepped close to Madoka then bent over and picked up her friend bridal style. As soon as Madoka's hands clasped together behind Yosuga's neck the tall girl turned towards the balcony rail and leapt right over it without hesitation.

Gregory felt like he was going to have a heart attack as the two disappeared over the edge, in spite of knowing what was going to happen. Actually _seeing_ someone just _jump_ right off a balcony 550 feet above the street was _shocking_.

He went to the rail and saw the two land safely on the roof of the neighboring building. Then Yosuga jumped again, down to the street.

Shaking his head and turning away from the railing, Gregory rushed back into the suite, picked up their bags, and headed out the door.

o.0/NGFOM 5.2\0.o  
o.0/NGFOM 5.2\0.o

Started Oct 5, 2015  
First Draft completed Oct 5, 2015  
Final complete and posted Nov 26, 2015


	3. A Saving People Thing

No Game For Old Men

Book 5.3 – "A Saving People Thing"

0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0  
0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0

Sunday, February 23rd, 2020  
Roppongi Hills district, Minato Ward, Shin Tokyo

Two Sekirei stood in the middle of a Shin Tokyo street, looking around at the chaos of wrecked vehicles and screaming people. They had both just landed in the midst of a multiple-vehicle accident scene, having jumped from the 23rd floor of the nearby Grand Tokyo Hyatt.

They wanted to help, but there was so much destruction, so many people injured.

Madoka, Sekirei 37, stood next to her childhood friend, Yosuga, Sekirei 44, and tried to make sense of what she was seeing. There were half a dozen cars scattered about the intersection all in varying states of damage. There was a large cargo truck that had run off the road and had pushed a small car through the glass windowed front of a retail store on one corner of the intersection. The driver of the truck slumped forward against the steering wheel of his vehicle. If she had to guess, she would say the driver of the truck had somehow lost control of his vehicle and had accelerated into and through the intersection while other traffic had the right of way.

The small car that was crushed into the storefront had blood all over the inside of the windshield.

It was all a mess and there were people screaming in pain and fear all around her. Madoka was frozen in indecision; she was supposed to help but how could she know who to help first? What about the ones who were hurt that she could not help? What if they died before she could get to them? Where should she start?

She turned in place, looking first here, and then there, trying to decide who she could help, who she couldn't. She was paralyzed; there were so many hurt people!

"Mado! What should we do?" Yosuga asked. The taller girl looked just as confused by the chaos as Madoka was. "Mado, snap out of it! What should we do first? Don't you have a plan?"

All Madoka could do was look up at Yosuga and shake her head. There wasn't a plan. How could you make a plan for something like this? That car across the street had the roof and windows cut completely off from the bottom half of the car. There were the bottom halfs of _people_ in the front seats of the half of a car! Maybe if she found the other half of the people she could fix them? Or should she help the lady who was screaming so loudly in that other car, the one that was on fire?

"I do not know, Yosu-chan! I do not know! What am I supposed to do?"

0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0

Yosuga looked into her friends' eyes and realized that Madoka wasn't going to be able to tell her what to do. Whether or not Gregory O'Donnell and Mado had ever come up with ideas for how to deal with a scene like this, it was obvious that Madoka wasn't thinking straight enough to follow any such plan. In fact, her blonde friend showed every sign of retreating into the timid passivity that defined her personality when they were children in the MBI Sekirei Labs.

" _Well,"_ thought Yosuga, _"at least I know how to deal with that. Just tell her what to do and help her do it."_

Yosuga looked around the accident scene again, this time instead of waiting for someone to tell her what the plan was she evaluated the situation as best she could and made decisions.

Reaching out mentally to her friend, Yosuga sent,{ _Mado-chan, you and I are going over to the truck and we are going to get the driver out of it first. Come on._ } Yosuga allowed no doubt to creep into her mental demeanor, pretending to herself and to Madoka that she knew what she was doing. Better to do the wrong thing right away than to wait forever trying to figure out what the right thing was.

She'd read that somewhere. A famous ship captain named Kirk had said it. It sounded like good advice so she'd made a point to remember it.

She took Madoka's hand and led her across the intersection to the cargo truck. Once there the two of them helped the only-vaguely-conscious driver out of the cab of his vehicle and down to the sidewalk where they then helped him lay down. Yosuga could not see any blood on his uniform so she guessed he was not badly injured.

{ _Mado-chan, do what you can for truck-driver-san and I will go check the car there for people we can help._ }

Yosuga told herself, _"Don't sound unsure. Sound like you know what you are doing. Make a decision. Any decision. Then act."_ Yosuga knew that was the key to acting in an emergency. Captain Kirk had been clear about that in the self-help book he'd written. At least she thought it had been a self-help book. She couldn't remember for sure now but it probably didn't matter.

She waited long enough to see Madoka nod her understanding and then place her delicate fingers on either side of the driver's head. Madoka then closed her eyes and Yosuga assumed she was doing her thing to help the driver.

Yosuga moved to the car that the truck had pushed into the storefront. The front windshield looked like it had been painted red on the inside so Yosuga was not optimistic about the driver. Maybe someone was in the back seat and had survived? She had to look, reluctant though she was.

0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0

Madoka came out of her Farsense/Healing Redact Probe she had been using to see the damage in the truck driver's head. She'd found some bruising of the brain and had repaired it but could not find any other injury. As she looked around the sidewalk to get her bearings Yosuga approached carrying a six-year-old boy who had blood all over his torso and head.

"Mado, here!" Yosuga approached where Madoka had been healing the truck driver. When she got close enough she Farspoke to Madoka, _{He's still alive, but he's hurt. He was in the backseat of the car and the woman in the front who was driving… there wasn't a lot left of her #barelysuppressedhorrorimage after the truck hit the car and a lot of the blood on him is from her.}_

Madoka realized Yosuga was babbling due to what she had seen in the car as she had worked to get the boy out of the wrecked vehicle. She helped her friend lay the boy down on the pavement then told Yosuga to go help others.

Madoka would try to help the boy.

After her dark-haired friend ran off Madoka knelt on the sidewalk next to the boy. He was breathing, she could see that much, but he was only staring up at the night sky and not responding to anything.

" _Alright,"_ she told herself, " _first, let us see how much of this blood is his and get his physical injuries fixed. Then maybe we will see about erasing his memory of the last hour."_

Placing her hands on the boy's chest, she shut her eyes and blended her Farsight with her Redaction metafunction. She was very glad that she had gotten her Norito from Gregory before coming down here; she could not use her Healing Probe if she wasn't in the Norito Boost State.

Then she was inside and looking for injuries.

_{Farsense/Redact Probe}_

_Madoka first examined the boy's skull, making as quick a pass around the bone structure as possible while still hopefully spotting any serious problems. She did not notice any depressions or fracturing so she then moved down to his chest, starting with the lungs. There, a puncture of one of his lungs, caused by a piece of metal that had penetrated his chest. She pushed the metal shard out through the hole it had created between two of his ribs and then she began trying to patch the hole in his lung._

_It was not a very large hole, barely 1 cm across. She just needed to regrow normal exterior lung tissue across it. The… what was it called… pleura, that was it. There were two layers of pleura that made up the outside of the lung, though she could not remember the names for the separate layers. They were similar enough it did not matter. Just patch the hole, make sure the fluid that filled the space between the two layers is intact and not leaking, then move on._

_How to make new pleura tissue? Memories of lessons with Gregory-kun on how to use the computer to edit photographs came to mind and she ran with the concept that seemed appropriate._

_Find a good example of healthy, whole, tissue…_ _there_ _. Okay, that is exactly what was need over_ _here_ _where the hole was. So… Copy, paste, paste, clone, clone, clone, clone, healing brush, healing brush, smooth, smooth, trim._

_Okay, good! That worked! It was slow, but it worked. Now the outer pleura…_

0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0

Ten minutes later Yosuga helped yet another injured person lay down on the sidewalk, away from the wrecked vehicles. Only two of the cars were on fire but from what Yosuga could tell they were terribly prone to exploding or at least burning in an accident.

That almost all of Yosuga's experience with vehicle accidents was from television and Hollywood movies explained her worry about how dangerous it was to be near the crashed cars. She stepped over to the front of the line of injured victims that lay on the sidewalk to where Madoka was still working on the young boy from the car that the truck had smashed. She took a moment to catch her breath; the last ten minutes of pulling people from their vehicles had been exhausting, even for a Sekirei. Trying to help people while hiding her Sekirei nature was tiring in its own, unique, way.

Yosuga was surprised that Madoka was still working on the first injured person, the six-year-old boy. She'd seen her blonde friend heal a cut finger almost instantly so she had assumed the other Sekirei could make quick work of patching up the people who had been injured. She sat on her heels next to where Madoka knelt next to the now-unconscious boy, noticing that the blood that was covering the boy was mostly dried. That meant he wasn't bleeding anew from any injuries at least, so that was surely good.

"Madoka! Yosuga! Mado-chan!" a man's voice from down the street reached Yosuga's ears. The recently arrived emergency services sirens made it difficult to hear much beyond a few feet away.

Yosuga looked up and around, trying to spot whoever was calling their names. Quickly enough she spotted Madoka's Ashikabi, Gregory, where he had parked his big orange vehicle on the sidewalk half a block away and he was standing on the tube railings that ran along each side of the vehicle, using the added height to look for her and Madoka.

Standing up and waving at Gregory, Yosuga realized they would need to get away from here soon. The Shin Tokyo Fire Department was arriving in numbers alongside the Police, who were putting barriers up across the street and sidewalks in order to segregate the accident scene from the increasingly large crowd of onlookers.

Thankfully the street Gregory had parked along had not been barricaded yet and he was able to run to where Yosuga stood, pushing through the crowd as politely as possible.

Gregory knelt next to his Sekirei and called out to her, "Mado-chan, are you okay? Mado-chan?"

Yosuga leaned over so that she could speak next to Gregory's ear, speaking urgently to the Ashikabi. "Gregory-san, she hasn't moved from that position or from this boy in ten minutes and she's not responding to me. The boy was the second victim we pulled from a vehicle, the first being the truck driver who seems fine. Maybe the boy was more badly injured than I thought, but she hasn't moved and I think we are out of time for this. We really need to go before the police and fire department people get us entirely blocked in."

The blond American nodded his understanding but didn't take his eyes off his Sekirei. Yosuga stood and watched around them, hoping no police would come over and interfere. After a moment Gregory reached up and grabbed Yosuga's wrist to get her attention. She looked down to where he was kneeling next to Madoka.

"Yosuga-san, do you think we should pick her up and carry…"

Gregory's question was interrupted by the sound of wet coughing coming from the boy that Madoka was working on. He looked at the young boy and saw that he was coughing blood out of his mouth and choking.

Madoka's eyes flew open and she grabbed the boy's shoulders, shaking him and crying out, "No! No, no, no! Breathe!"

Gregory took the boy and turned him so he was lying on his side so that the blood in his mouth could come out instead of pooling in his throat and choking him. A few more strong spasms that expelled not only blood but also small pieces of black tissue and then the boy stopped breathing entirely.

"No!" Madoka screamed frantically, drawing the attention of many people who were lying or sitting along the sidewalk. Bystanders began moving away from the frantic blonde girl, making room for the emergency crews to help if necessary. Gregory struck the boy on the back with the flat of his hand sharply, trying to dislodge whatever might be blocking his airway. She wailed, "Gregory-kun, he was okay, I fixed his injuries! He cannot die now!"

Gregory looked at his little blonde Sekirei helplessly. The boy was not breathing now. He wasn't choking or struggling in any way; he was just limp, lifeless. Gregory said, "Use your Norito chant, Mado-chan. We have to go very soon so saving your Norito Boost State for other people doesn't matter now."

Madoka nodded, glad her Ashikabi agreed with what she wanted to do. She closed her eyes, placed her hands on the boy's chest, and spoke her aria.

" _By the life of my pledge,  
may the harm to this one be cured_ _!"_

Unlike the previous times that Gregory had seen Madoka use her Norito Burst this time there was no sense of power being expelled or focused on her target. In truth there was nothing, just the sound of her words and the sirens and the screaming of hurt people. He looked over at Yosuga, who met his eyes with a questioning expression of her own. She too expected something to happen yet there was nothing.

On her knees next to the motionless body of the boy, her hands remaining on his chest, Madoka's shoulders hunched up as though she were trying to lift a great weight. Her eyes still closed she spoke again, hurriedly and desperately.

 _"Wrapped in cotton_  
Bound with love  
Protected from pain  
Forever favored  
Life sent in flight!"

With the first words Gregory could almost-but-not-quite see the energy leaving Madoka's body through her now-glowing-green hands where they were pressed to the boy's torso. Gregory felt a wrenching of _something_ in his own chest, a pull that preceded a steady flow from him to his Sekirei and then to the boy. Gregory quickly saw spots before his eyes and felt dizzy. He staggered and fell to his hands and knees, gasping.

Immediately after the last word of this new aria left Madoka's lips the child's rib cage expanded in a deep breath, then he exhaled. The boy began coughing, spitting a bit of blood out but quickly enough he began breathing easily and regularly.

The drain of energy from Gregory to Madoka and to the boy had thankfully ceased and Madoka sagged in exhaustion. Gregory's hands were shaky and his knees weak; he felt as though he had walked close to the edge of a dark precipice and only just avoided falling into an endless deep.

The boy had been _dead_ , Gregory realized. Madoka had pulled and kept pulling, dragging the boy back from wherever he had started to go, risking her own life - and Gregory's as well, he suspected. He hoped he could remember this later because it was obvious he and his beautiful little Sekirei needed to have words about reasonable limits when it came to trying to help strangers.

He also hoped that the disturbing memory of that dark and endless deep he had come close to would fade away, entirely.

Now, though, it was surely time for the three of them to get away from this area. Past time to do so, very likely, judging from the crowd of people watching them, some of who were clapping their hands and cheering for what looked like a boy being saved thanks to CPR and first aid. Gregory noticed several bystanders with cell phones taking pictures of Madoka and the boy and he prayed there was no video of green glowing hands and chanted five-line arias being taken.

"Yosuga-san, we need to go," Gregory spoke in a low, shaky voice to the tall Sekirei standing next to him and Madoka. "The boy looks to be fine now, he's breathing easily and seems merely asleep. But Mado-chan is exhausted and I'm not much better so there is not much else we can do here anyway. I'm going to help her to the Jeep. I need you to run interference if any authorities try to stop us, okay? Just distract them if you can. But keep them from stopping us, no matter what."

She nodded agreement, "I'll do that, Gregory-san. You're right, we need to go, now, or we will be caught behind a lot of barriers and it will be harder to get away from here without trouble."

Gregory helped Madoka to her feet, holding her up with one of her arms across his shoulders and his other arm around her waist. Yosuga moved ahead of them in the direction of the Jeep and Gregory followed as quickly as he could.

0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0  
0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0

Hours later Yosuga found herself the only person awake in the O'Donnell's apartment as both Madoka and Gregory had passed out in the master bedroom almost as soon as they made it home.

Yosuga was glad Gregory had taken the time to show her where the bathroom was and had told her to help herself to anything in the kitchen she wanted, including showing her where the tea was kept.

Lounging comfortably on the couch in a too-short pair of gray sweatpants and a loose, white tank top – both borrowed from Mado - Yosuga occupied herself by reading the various notes and handouts her friends had prepared for other Sekirei and Ashikabi they had met. She also spent some time with Madoka's tablet trying to make sense of the Sekirei social media pages Gregory had shown her.

Sipping hot tea and clicking through the amazing photos of Madoka - and many of 76 Midorino - was entertaining and educational. Yosuga wondered if Gregory O'Donnell could work such magic with a camera for her benefit. She was a little jealous of how beautiful and at ease both Mado-chan and number 76 looked in these photos.

It was obvious to Yosuga that Madoka had changed a great deal in the almost-six-months that had passed since she'd been removed from Group 11. With several months in isolation at the MBI Sekirei Labs and then almost three months of life out in Shin Tokyo - including two months as the bonded Sekirei of Gregory O'Donnell – it was inevitable that Madoka would not be the same insecure, timid girl that Yosuga had spent her whole life protecting and caring for. Sure, there were still moments where that girl showed through but there was also Madoka's Ashikabi to protect her and care for her now.

What role did Yosuga have now? Was there any room for her in Madoka's life? She'd spent her whole life defining herself in relation to Madoka. That wasn't likely to change now. She didn't want it to change; she _loved_ her friend more than anything in the world. Returning to Madoka's presence reinforced that love; Yosuga had forgotten just how _good_ it felt to be around her friend, supporting her, helping her, protecting her.

When Yosuga had been escorted from the MBI Sekirei Labs and put into the driverless automatic mini-bus that took her away from the building she'd spent most of her life in, she had only a vague plan. She figured that she would find Mado-chan and stay by her side to protect her from the dangers of the Sekirei Plan as long as she could. There was little doubt that Madoka would be an easy target for the other Sekirei and she would need someone to protect her, as always. Yosuga was less concerned about finding her own Ashikabi than she was concerned with finding Madoka.

If there were an Ashikabi for Yosuga then fate would arrange for them to meet, she figured. There was no way she could face endlessly jumping around the city hoping to feel some "reaction" from a stranger. Especially not now, knowing the rumors they'd heard in the Dorms about how some Ashikabi were forcing Sekirei into Wing Bonds and using them as mere tools to further their own ambitions were all true. _And_ abusing their Sekirei badly, from what Madoka said.

It would be better to just accept the likelihood that she would not find an Ashikabi. Then she could continue to do what she had done her whole life; protect and help her friend. Madoka had an Ashikabi. She had someone who loved her and cared for her. That was good enough for Yosuga. She would live vicariously through her beautiful blonde friend and if she could expend her own life fighting for Mado-chan then Yosuga would consider that a fair and good fate for herself. Yosuga was fortunate that Mado-chan's Ashikabi was a man like Gregory O'Donnell, who not only saw the Sekirei Plan for the evil it was but also _wanted_ to cooperate with other Sekirei!

And Gregory seemed a genuinely good man. One who had a surprisingly rational view of MBI and the Sekirei Plan. He recognized that the real enemy of the Sekirei weren't each other but the terrible brainwashing they'd all been subjected to. Yosuga was happy Madoka had found an Ashikabi like Gregory instead of the sort of man Mado had _thought_ she wanted when she was younger.

Yosuga wondered if the two of them had sex tonight. She'd listened, earlier, stretching her meager Farsense so as to hopefully hear some sound from the master bedroom but there'd been nothing. Likely they both had fallen asleep immediately; healing that boy at the accident site had drained both Sekirei and Ashikabi badly.

She might not feel arousal herself but she was just as curious about sex as anyone!

She hoped Madoka had a more healthy relationship with her Ashikabi than she'd had with 16 Toyotama. _That_ relationship had been far too mercenary for Yosuga to be happy about, but at least it was done with now.

Nodding to herself, glad she'd come to a determination of what she would do now, Yosuga washed out the tea cup and then turned off the kitchen lights before padding down the short hallway to the second bedroom where Gregory O'Donnell had told her she could sleep.

0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0  
0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0

Monday, February 24th, 2020  
Yoyogi District, Shibuya Ward, Shin Tokyo  
The O'Donnell Apartment

{ _Yosu-chan, thank you for helping with transcribing those audio files. It would have taken me all day even with the new voice-to-text software Gregory installed for me._ } The Farspoken gratitude came from Madoka who was in the kitchen preparing tea for herself and Yosuga to enjoy. Now that their To-Do list was more-or-less caught up on they could relax and chat for a bit.

Yosuga still wanted to get to the bicycle shop to get a bike like Madoka had. And they both needed to make a run to the nearby Post Office for the daily 500,000¥ withdrawal but both of those items would take less than an hour. It was time now to relax and enjoy the unseasonably warm sunny day with good tea and her dear friend.

From the living room of the apartment Yosuga answered, { _It was no problem, Madoka-sister. It was actually a good opportunity for me to get familiar with the data tracking that you and Gregory-san are doing. And it has been a while since I have typed much so it's probably a good thing I get some practice at it._ }

Placing the last items on the tea tray, Madoka laughed softly and answered, { _Yes, only you would need practice when you can 'only' type 100 words per minute_.}

Yosuga smiled where she was sitting on the carpeted floor of the O'Donnell's living room, still wearing the too-short gray sweatpants and the far-too-loose white tank top she'd slept in. The large sliding door was open and the curtains pulled aside to let the sunshine and the mild breeze fill the apartment with fresh air. Even in crowded Shibuya Ward the air was crisp and clean; the air pollution problems Shin Tokyo suffered in years past having been finally resolved through persistent technological determination. And with the temperature at 19°C (67°F) both girls were enjoying the pleasant weather and the sunshine that filled the living room through the open sliding patio door.

{ _Well, Mado-chan, I'm just very glad you and Gregory-san can read hiragana and the computers here have proper Japanese keyboards. If I'd had to transcribe on an English keyboard you'd be typing faster than me by far._ }

Madoka walked from the kitchen carrying the tea tray, graceful and sure-footed as she crossed the living area and then knelt to place the tray on the low table next to where Yosuga sat. One teacup tipped off the edge of the tray and fell towards the coffee table and Madoka could only watch, blue eyes widening at the imminent crash of expensive pottery.

Before the cup could hit the wood of the coffee table Yosuga's body blurred in motion as she zipped around the table and her arm shot out to catch the endangered teacup.

"I love it when you do that, Yosu-chan," Madoka smiled, impressed as always with her friend's amazing speed and reflexes.

"And I think you deliberately drop teacups just to make me have to catch them, Mado-chan."

The dark haired Sekirei set the teacup down the leaned back against the couch, admiring her beautiful friend, who appeared comfortable and graceful even in the provocatively short gray cotton shorts and beige chemise she had been wearing all morning. That Madoka didn't bother with a bra under the thin cotton chemise had startled Yosuga at first, given how her beautiful blonde friend had always been particular about keeping covered and preserving her body modesty. Another change in her friend wrought by living with Gregory O'Donnell, no doubt.

Madoka noticed the admiring gaze from her friend and gave her a small smile in return.

Madoka reached for her phone and used the control app on it to adjust the music playing on the household entertainment system. She realized for the first time that the system they had at their loft in Ebisu was substantially better than the one in the O'Donnell apartment. Her smile widened a bit at the realization that her Ashikabi was taking advantage of the MBI Platinum cards to buy toys for their home in Ebisu that he'd not been able to justify for his family's apartment on his teacher's salary.

With the music turned low and playing a long playlist from one of Gregory's House/Trance directories, Madoka reached for the teapot and poured for Yosuga and herself. As she fussed with the tea service and snacks she Farspoke her friend, { _We need to teach you English, Yosuga-sister. Though teaching Gregory-kun German would also be a good idea. It would almost be a secret code language for us in public given how few people understand it here._ }

{ _I like that idea better than me learning English. I do not have your easy facility with languages, Mado-chan. It would take years for me to gain useful fluency I think.}_ Yosuga reached for her tea and took a moment to admire the delicate cup that she'd rescued from the perils of gravity and hard surfaces. The golden-brown coloration was rich and the cup felt silky smooth to her fingertips.

Madoka answered the query she could feel in Yosuga's mind, { _Yi xing clay cups, same with the teapot. Gregory and I picked these out the first week after his wife and daughter left for the States; I thought shopping for ridiculously expensive tea service might help distract his depressed thoughts at the time and I was right, at least for that evening. We have another set at the… other place._ } Madoka frowned as she sipped the expensive Anji white tea. She disliked having to keep secrets from Yosuga and with Farspeach it was difficult to dissemble without being obvious.

After taking an appreciative sip of her own tea Yosuga set the cup down on the table and said, outloud, "It's okay, Mado-chan. You and Gregory-san have things you can't tell me and I understand that completely. I might not have at first, but after going over all the risks and security arrangements you two have been living under I get it now, I do. So don't let it worry you that I'll take offense, okay? Let's speak out loud for now; I don't want to make it more difficult for you to keep your Ashikabi's secrets."

Madoka smiled in response and nodded agreement. While she missed being able to use the mindspeech of the Sekirei she also felt the strain of trying to avoid certain subjects while using it with someone she trusted like Yosuga.

Yosuga continued, "I noticed last night that this apartment is oddly empty and feels unlived in, Mado-chan. If I had to guess I would say that you packed up all of the things that belonged to Gregory's wife and daughter for him while he was at his school during the days and you shipped those boxes to the States? How long did it take for him to agree to that?"

Setting her own tea cup down Madoka sighed, "Too long. It was a month after they left before he would agree to letting me take down the Christmas decorations and pack up the personal belongings. But it needed to be done; just being here at all depressed him and while we do not spend much time here anymore it was not healthy for him to be surrounded by reminders of what he lost when he became my Ashikabi."

"I doubt he would describe it like that, Mado-chan," Yosuga protested.

"You are correct, Yosu-chan, but nevertheless. The Sekirei Plan has cost Gregory-kun more than anyone should be asked to pay."

Yosuga picked up her tea and savored the mild warmth of the cup in her hands. "So," she said, "tell me how you came to have Gregory as your Ashikabi. I've still not heard this story and it's rather driving me crazy you know."

Madoka smiled at her friend though a bit of melancholy remained in her expression. She told her about being spotted near Tokyo Metro High by 86 Katsuragi, hiding in Gregory's classroom and telling him all about the Sekirei Plan, the chase in the Jeep along the Omotesandō. Then finally being cornered in a parking lot and her deciding Gregory O'Donnell was a far better choice than what fate had in store for her if Katsuragi caught her.

Yosuga was captivated by the story though she realized that it would be far more difficult to hear if she didn't already know that Gregory and Madoka had actually worked out well for each other, as far as she could see at least.

Wrapping her story up, Madoka added, "Yosu-chan, it was nothing like we thought it would be, when we were girls living in the Sekirei Labs." Her full, pink lips delicately sipped at her tea and her large, blue eyes focused on an unseen distance. "You remember I knew exactly what I wanted in an Ashikabi. A strong, muscular, handsome guy, maybe 25 years old. Old enough to know his way around, but, you know, not _old_ old. With thick black hair to run my fingers through. Someone confident, handsome, and sexy. Maybe he would have a tattoo, or might have a motorcycle. He would have something just a little bit dangerous about him."

Yosuga grinned across the low table at her friend. "I remember, Mado-chan. You had a whole list of things you wanted in your Ashikabi. He had to be rich and handsome, but not just some salaryman; he had to have leisure time to take care of you after all."

Madoka nodded, sipping her expensive tea. "Yes." She paused, the golden-brown Yi Xing teacup held in both hands for warmth. "It did not turn out like that. I spent days in the cold and snow and was scared out of my wits after I saw what happened to 86 Katsuragi, how Toyotama beat her so bad, till she was bleeding, then she held Katsuragi there while her Ashikabi… he just spit in Katsuragi's mouth, Yosu-chan." Madoka cringed at the memory, closing her eyes and going quiet.

After taking a moment to regain her composure, Madoka continued, "MBI did not anticipate what would happen with the Sekirei Plan very well at all, Yosu-chan. And they certainly did not prepare us for the challenges we would face out here. While I admit I was not as attentive to some of the lectures as I might should have been there are still a vast amount of things about daily life in Shin Tokyo we were never taught. And details about the Sekirei Plan we were never told! I knew there was a Disciplinary Squad but I had no idea who was in it, for example. Not until you told Gregory-kun and me that it was 04 Karasuba and was expanded in January to include 104 Haihane and 105 Benitsubasa. Tell me, Yosu-chan, what good does it do to have a police unit to enforce the rules of the Sekirei Plan and then not make sure every Sekirei in the Plan knows exactly who the police are and what their authority is?"

Shrugging, Yosuga agreed with Madoka's point. "Not much good at all, Mado-chan. Imagine a scenario where a Sekirei encounters 04 Karasuba and doesn't recognize her as either a single digit or as a Disciplinary Squad member. The Sekirei would likely challenge the Black Sekirei and quickly be killed, likely.(1) For what purpose? Why? I've asked those questions for a long time but I kept them to myself because all of the rest of you seemed to be lapping up the 'fight fight fight' nonsense MBI was feeding us."

"I wish you could have trusted me with your doubts, Yosu-chan. Though I understand why you did not." Madoka poured more tea for herself and for Yosuga before continuing, "It took Gregory-kun a great deal of effort to convince me that the Sekirei Plan, MBI, and the Professor were all dangers to the Sekirei. Picture that, Yosu-chan. That it took my _Ashikabi_ a great deal of effort to convince me against something MBI had claimed. That is substantial conditioning!"

Madoka picked up her now-full cup and continued, "I suspect that whatever went wrong with your Adjustments that caused you to have such terrible headaches and tremors for so long also interfered with the methods MBI was using to 'convince' us of the necessity and goodness of the Sekirei Plan."

Yosuga nodded agreement. "I've long thought so too, though you can imagine I kept such things to myself. By the end I felt I was a bare step away from being declared a Scrapped Number so I stopped complaining of any issues at all, letting the Adjusters have the impression that they'd finally corrected what they screwed up. If there is a silver lining to that cloud it would be that I never bought into the Sekirei Plan at all."

"You should know, Yosu-chan," Madoka began tentatively, "I have learned a great deal about my Sekirei powers - what we've labeled metapsychic functions - which I never suspected before I was released from MBI. I can do much more than heal small injuries and… I want to talk to Gregory about this before we try it but I would like to see if I can use my Redact/Farsense medical probe on you to see if I can find out what caused the problems you had with your Adjustments. Not try to fix them, I am not nearly saying that I could do that, but at least, perhaps, to see what is causing the problems. I know you still suffer symptoms that signify that all is not well, even still."

Yosuga shrugged indifferently, "I wouldn't have a problem with you looking or even trying to fix it if you wanted to. I trust you to only do what you know is best, Mado-chan."

Madoka smiled at her friend, warmth spreading through her chest at the trust Yosuga so casually bestowed on her.

"You should have heard the things that made it back to us in the Dorms after Phase One started, Mado-chan. I'm sure we heard only a smallest bit and many horror stories never made it back to us but the things we heard were bad enough."

Frowning, Madoka asked, "Like what?"

"Well," Yosuga began, "you know they've been releasing us all over the city for months, spread out over the whole metropolitan area. There's more than 13,000 square kilometers in this city. And there's, like, over 19 million humans and only 107 of us, less when you take out the Scrapped Numbers and the Disciplinary Squad and such. Five or six of us a week taken in vans to different places and let go so that we are forced to wander the city alone. The odds of us finding any of our crèche mates are damn near zero, on purpose. They _wanted_ us out here wandering around lost and vulnerable, Mado-chan. And not just vulnerable to ruthless bastards like those guys that tried to mug you when you first got out. We heard stories about Sekirei who have gotten winged by Ashikabi that are really abusive, who beat them, have sex with them no matter what she wants. Even pimp their Sekirei out to their friends."

Madoka shivered, recalling the memories she had seen in 16 Toyotama's mindscape. Memories of how she and the other Sekirei were treated by their Ashikabi. "At least Gregory-san cares about me. Even if he is not what I dreamed of in an Ashikabi, he has a good heart and he loves me."

Yosuga grinned, "You think so? Even I could see how much he cares for you, Mado-chan. Oh, one guy we heard about was using his Sekirei to kill off people who had angered him, like his ex-girlfriends. I heard that 04 Karasuba took care of that guy herself. Of course she also cut down his Sekirei and put her on a level 4 termination. Because, you know, _Karasuba_."

A throw pillow hit Yosuga a glancing blow, hurled by Madoka at her friend. "Aiee, don't say her name! You know it is bad luck!"

"Fufufu, yes, just like when we were all kids! And what was it that would make 05 Mutsu appear?" Yosuga asked, trying to recall.

"Stepping on a crack." Madoka shivered in remembered fear.

Yosuga chirped, "Right! I was so afraid of all of the First Five. 02 Matsu was always talking to the researchers, in the middle of everything, watching them experiment on us. She was there when they separated 07 and her twin 22, did you know that? When 07 went crazy and killed those lab techs?" Yosuga's face settled into a sad reminiscence.

Madoka picked her teacup back up and answered, "Yes, I remember that. I was there when 07 went crazy."

"Ah, that's right, I'd forgotten that." Yosuga busied herself pouring another cup of tea, and then nodded, "Was an accident, they said. But hardly anyone really knew what happened, just the ones who saw 07 lose it when they took her twin away. Everyone else they kept apart and in different groups. It was all so confusing. Remember how we were afraid 02 Matsu would have 04 Karasuba come take us in the night to experiment on us and we'd disappear and no one would know where we went?" Yosuga took her friends teacup and poured for her as well.

Taking the golden brown cup from Yosuga once it was filled with the aromatic AnJi white tea, Madoka said, "Yes. And then I _was_ taken away but not by 04 Karasuba. It was just the MBI researchers. They changed my room one night and I had new labs I had to go to for adjustment and all new technicians were there. I never saw any of you again, not until we were out here. I missed you so much Yosu-chan. And Toyotama and Ichiya. The four of us were the only ones in the group who resonated, the others, like 24 Asuka and 57 Yahan, they were okay but we could not _count_ on them. They would tell the Researchers whatever they wanted to know just to get favors. Or like 15 Himeko, who was always really hostile. I do not know why she hated me."

Yosuga held one hand up and waggled it back and forth. "It wasn't so much you as 16 Toyotama. 15 Himeko never got along with Toyotama and since Toyo was your "onee-sama…". I heard that 15 Himeko ended up with an Ashikabi in the south who's collecting a group like that Higa Izumi guy is. I feel sorry for her if that's true. Oh, and then the next time you saw Toyotama she was grinding 86 Katsuragi's face into the street so her Ashikabi could spit in Ragi-chan's mouth."

"It was horrible, Yosu-chan. And then Katsuragi later tried to do the same thing to me! All because her Ashikabi ordered it. Yosu-chan, when they told us in the labs that being with our Ashikabi would make us happy and that our Ashikabi would be the kind of person we best needed, I think they did not know what that meant. _I_ think that _we_ change to suit our Ashikabi over time. And the stronger willed and more certain the Ashikabi is of what he wants the more it changes us, until we are happy with what our Ashikabi says and what he wants. At first 86 Katsuragi was terrified of what happened. And I know Toyotama was not happy about how she was treated. But later on they both became more like that scumbag of an Ashikabi they have. That is what 16 told me when she ambushed me. That next time she would not be the kind of person who lets someone get away. I think she meant that literally Yosu-chan."

Yosuga finished her tea and cleared away the pot and cups, then called out to her friend from the small kitchen, "But that's horrible Mado-chan. Why would MBI turn us loose only to be captured by horrible people like that man in the East? And why did 01 just leave us to this fate? Why did 02 Matsu help them, and 03 Kazehana too. She was always trying to get in the favor of the Director. And 04 and 05, why would they all leave us to this, if MBI is turning us loose in such a way that we are vulnerable and scared so that we fall to these horrible Ashikabi and then after they catch us we are changed so that we like these horrible things?"

Madoka leaned back against the couch, her small chemise riding up, exposing her flat stomach as she stretched then sighed comfortably. "I wish I knew Yosu-chan. There were always rumors about 01 and if she ran away or was killed by MBI or kept captive. I always believed they had her captured and she was trying to find a way to get free so she could rescue us. But even if that is true, it does not help now. If she came to rescue us now after all these years, it would be too late for so many."

Yosuga returned from the kitchen and flopped down next to her blonde friend, lying so that she could use Madoka's tummy as a pillow.

Madoka said, "I still believe 01 will come save us, including those who are terminated, their tama are still secure and she will get free from MBI and come," Madoka's voice was as sure about this now as it was when they were younger and still in the MBI labs.

"I don't know if I believe it so much anymore Mado-chan." Yosuga stared up at the ceiling. "But it doesn't matter much now. You have a good Ashikabi, even if he isn't what you thought you wanted. He saved you from 86 Katsuragi that night and from that man in the East."

Madoka nodded, "Yes. But the next time someone challenges me and I cannot run away or get lucky like I did with 16 when she ambushed me it will not matter that Gregory-san became my Ashikabi. I will be terminated anyway and then Gregory-kun will be all alone. I have learned how to do damage with my Redaction but it is not really good enough in a fight, it is really slow, and I am still not a power type no matter how much I practice. It is so unfair; this is not how it was supposed to be." Tears gathered at the edges of Madoka's bright blue eyes and she sniffled cutely.

Yosuga moved up so that she was lying next to Madoka, pulling her friend close with an arm around her shoulder comfortingly. "I know Mado-chan. And I think for many of us it's just Fight Fight Fight until one is left without ever really questioning why we are supposed to kill every single other Sekirei on this world just to 'ascend to the higher sky above', whatever that means." Yosuga just held her friend for a few moments, waiting for the sniffles to stop.

Madoka eventually added, "I don't know why they are doing all of this. But if 01 is going to save us it's got to be soon because time is running out, you know?"

0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0  
0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0

Authors Notes:

Footnote (1): This actually happens in canon. Anime Season 1 Episode 6/Manga #19, calendar date 4/8/2020. 04 Karasuba spots 38 Mitsuha and Scrapped Akitsu walking around the city and goes after them for nothing more than the lulz.

Akitsu, as a former single digit, recognizes Karasuba but 38 Mitsuha _does not._ That's important, as important as a throwaway scene can be. Number 38 also doesn't recognize the moniker "The Black Sekirei" either.

What this scene tells us (in loud, all capital, letters) about MBI's briefing (or lack of same) of the Sekirei concerning the Disciplinary Squad and who is in the Disciplinary Squad is never explored in canon (or most fanfic) but it's clear as can be that at least some of the Sekirei (and likely _most_ of the normal non-single digit sorts of Sekirei) have _no idea who is on the D Squad_ nor do they know the First Five by their names or appearances.

There's no doubt at all that 38 Mitsuha had no idea who it was that she was facing in that alley and that 04 Karasuba cut her down _for the fun of it_.  
So, yes, NGFOM does actually look at what this scene meant and what it says about the wider Sekirei population's awareness (or rather, lack of awareness) of the D-Squad and its members.

Second note: Yes, in this chapter Madoka came up with her own version of Gregory's _Sekirei Plasticity Theory_. Whether through independent observation of facts or incidental mental leakage no one will likely ever know. But Gregory still has not actually spoken to Madoka of his theory or of why she now loves _The Oakridge Boys_ so much.

0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0  
0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0

From the notebooks of Gregory O'Donnell

_**Sekirei** _

_**The Disciplinary Squad** _

Little is known for sure about the so-called Disciplinary Squad. 37 Madoka says she was never officially briefed on the existence of the Squad nor on its members, having only heard rumor that the Squad existed.

44 Yosuga, being released into Shin Tokyo almost three months after 37 Madoka, heard much more about the Disciplinary Squad and its members while she waited her turn to be released into the city for Phase One of the Sekirei Plan.

Information from 44 Yosuga:

1\. The Disciplinary Squad was originally only 04 Karasuba but was expanded in January of 2020 to include the as-yet-unreleased 104 Haihane and 105 Benitsubasa. Both 104 and 105 were removed from Group 11 and given special "Adjustments" before being put into the Disciplinary Squad.

It is entirely likely that the expansion of the squad from one single digit to three members was in response to the events of December 2019 in which Higa Izumi winged multiple Sekirei - including powerful fighters such as 16 Toyotama - giving rise to a situation for which MBI seems to have not planned.

04 Karasuba may be powerful enough to be a sure bet against any single Sekirei in the Sekirei Plan (i.e. every Sekirei above 05 that isn't a Scrapped Number or already terminated) but MBI must have been less than sure of her ability against multiple Sekirei, especially as Higa Izumi spent December and January acquiring multiple low-numbered Sekirei (such as he did when he acquired both 16 Toyotama and 18 Ichiya).

Could 04 defeat 16 Toyotama and 18 Ichiya at once? Could she do so 10 times out of 10 tries? If not then it makes sense that MBI Security would want to add more muscle to their Disciplinary Squad.

Adding 104 and 105, especially if their limiting "Adjustments" were removed, would go a long way towards bringing enforcement strength back to the Disciplinary Squad. Whether they could stand against all of Higa's Sekirei at once is certainly unknowable, but at least three strong Sekirei would be adequate for almost all enforcement duties, especially if those duties were simple execution of suspected rule-breakers.

We have to assume that the members of the Disciplinary Squad are Wing Bonded Sekirei, given the power boost Wing Bonding provides. But whether they have separate Ashikabi or share an Ashikabi is unknown at this time.

2\. The Squad has as its mission the enforcement of the rules of the Sekirei Plan. This would make the Disciplinary Squad an important element of what we've been calling "MBI Security".

It does not seem that the Disciplinary Squad is involved in the efforts of the other arm of MBI's Sekirei Plan Operations, "MBI Intelligence".

What rules the Squad exists to enforce are unknown and no formal set of rules has ever been found by any Ashikabi or Sekirei we've spoken to so far. The only rules any of us have heard are that:

a) we're not to leave the city and,  
b) we're to keep the Sekirei Plan secret at least until the Second Phase begins.

What form of "enforcement" the Disciplinary Squad exercises is unknown. 44 Yosuga says she expects any rule breaker to simply be killed by whichever Disciplinary Squad member is sent out to deal with them. It absolutely boggles the mind that the only enforcement efforts by MBI would start and end with execution, but that seems to be the case.

That they make no effort to publicize this dire consequence for rule breaking, make no effort to insure every Ashikabi and Sekirei know the Disciplinary Squad members and what their authority is, is just one more baffling bit of seeming insanity from Hiroto Minaka's operation at MBI. There can be no doubt that the Disciplinary Squad is MBI's primary tool for enforcement of the Sekirei Plan's rules and as such are the most distinct threat any Sekirei and Ashikabi will face if they intend to work against the Sekirei Plan's restrictions.

As not even _rumor_ has surfaced of epic confrontations between Higa's Sekirei and the Disciplinary Squad we can speculate that MBI Security has not yet been issued orders to reign in Higa's group. Why they've not been issued such orders is a mystery as almost _all_ of the open Sekirei combat that has occurred in Phase One has been caused by Higa's Sekirei, in seeming direct contradiction to the rules about remaining completely secret until the Second Phase.

Is MBI's Sekirei Plan Operations Management unwilling to risk MBI Security's Disciplinary Squad in a confrontation they are unsure they can win? Are they going to continue allowing larger, more powerful, groups of Sekirei to flaunt the rules while ruthlessly slaughtering single Sekirei for minor infractions?

Judging from the complete lack of professionalism seen so far, that is exactly my guess.

0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0  
0.o|NGFOM5.3|o.0

Started Oct 5, 2015  
First Draft completed Dec 17, 2015  
Final Dec 18, 2015  
Posted Dec 18, 2015


	4. Life in Shin Tokyo

**No Game For Old Men**

Book 5.4 – "Life in Shin Tokyo"

v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v  
v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v

Monday, February 24th, 2020  
Shibuya Ward, Shin Tokyo  
Tokyo Metro High School

"Are you certain, Gregory? Is there nothing I can say or do to change your mind on this? I'm willing to fight for an increase to your salary of 15% and add an equal amount to your housing allowance. I'm pretty sure I can get it if you'll agree to a new five-year contract. You aren't underpaid now but I could very likely get Principle and the Board to okay a substantial increase if it will change your mind."

Azama Yo, English Department Head at Tokyo Metro High, tried to bargain with his department's best teacher. The two were in Azama's office in a private meeting after school hours discussing a subject Gregory had been putting off for weeks.

They were sitting in comfortable chairs facing each other. Far more relaxed than the traditional "boss at his desk, supplicant in a small chair in front of the desk" ploy most administrators still used.

Azama Yo had spent years in the U.S. acquiring his own higher education. Thus, he'd been "corrupted" by liberal American ways. His sheer competence – and his successful family name – gave him more latitude in how he ran his department than most Department Heads enjoyed.

Azama considered the acquisition of Gregory O'Donnell to his staff to have been a big win for himself and for the school's English department. He was not particularly happy at what he was hearing now.

Gregory furrowed his brow in a bit of a surprised scowl. It was almost unheard of for a supervisor to offer such a large increase in salary without a monumental struggle. This offer said more than mere words just how successful Gregory had been in working at his career. And now he had little choice but to essentially kiss it all goodbye.

Shaking his head Gregory responded, "That is incredibly generous Yo and more flattering than I can express, but it's not really a matter of money, shocking as that might seem. I'm afraid it _is_ absolutely necessary I skip this next academic year."

They spoke English and - at Azama's insistence – the Department Head was on a first name basis with the teachers who worked for him, especially Gregory O'Donnell.

"I am certain, Gregory said, "that you have noticed that my focus simply hasn't been what it should be for the last two months."

Azama reluctantly nodded agreement. He had indeed noticed.

Gregory continued, "So at the end of this academic year I must take a leave of absence. Call it a sabbatical or whatever will work best for you with the school Administration Yo, but if you could arrange it so that I could at least have a chance of returning for the next school year, in April 2021, I would be very much in your debt."

There, the final nail in the coffin. No backing out now.

"Damnit, Gregory. You already work fewer hours than anyone else in the department does, including myself. And I'm offering you more money! You know I have to put up with Principle constantly questioning your only-5-days-a-week schedule already. What more can I do?"

Gregory shook his head and sighed. "I know and believe me I appreciate the difficulties my… casual approach to work hours causes you. We've spoken about this before and we both know that I get my job done, and done pretty well, in the hours I work. And, before you comment, we both know that's not what Principle is complaining about. It's appearances, not actual job performance. Real professionals in Japan work 80 hours a week, right? If you don't work 80 hours a week you're a slacker. Regardless if you actually get your work done. We both know the deal there. No, it's not about my paycheck and it's absolutely not because I don't appreciate all that you've done for me as my supervisor, Yo. If I had any other options I'd take them but… I simply must take this next academic year off."

The younger man sighed and nodded in response. He had played the cards he had so now he surrendered with what dignity he could manage. "Very well, Gregory. I'll start the paperwork for a leave of absence for the 2020 school year. I can't guarantee your position will still be available when you're ready to return, you know that, but you must know how this department values you and you can be assured I will do what I can to make sure you have a job to return to. At the very least you can count on a glowing recommendation from myself and even from Principle and the Board."

Gregory smiled and gave Azama a half-bow from his chair, "That is more than I could expect and I truly appreciate your efforts on my behalf, Yo. You've been an outstanding Department Head and it's been a real pleasure working for you, I want you to know that."

Azama waved off the compliment and nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, well, this is still a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, Gregory. But if I can't talk you out of it then it is what it is. Now, you've given me the official request and I've accepted that you need a year to settle your personal business. That is all I need to know officially and all I will pass up the ladder, but Gregory… tell me, friend to friend, what is going on? I hear rumors that your wife has returned to America with your daughter and I expected you to return with them but that's not your plan, is it. So what is going on?"

Gregory couldn't suppress a cringe at the confirmation that his marital difficulties were gossip material among the teaching and administration staff. That would be a significant problem unless he was very lucky. Azama Yo might be a liberal open-minded fellow, but _his_ boss, the school Principle, was very much not. And keeping a 40-year-old effectively-single male as a teacher in Senior English was unlikely unless Azama really fought for Gregory.

"Just as I said, Yo. Personal issues, needing my full attention. Officially that is all I can say. It's somewhat embarrassing that these things are interfering with my career here but I really feel its best if I can concentrate entirely on resolving them and setting things in order. And I can't do that if I have the obligations of my daily classes."

Azama loosened his black necktie and stood, walking to a file cabinet behind his desk. He opened the drawer and pulled out a bottle of scotch whiskey and two crystal tumblers. Returning to his chair he handed Gregory one glass and he poured a generous dollop of whiskey for both of them.

"Good thing you waited until after everyone else was gone, Gregory. Otherwise we'd be stuck with just tea," Azama smiled.

Gregory's eyebrows tried to climb up to his receding hairline at the blatant rules violations Azama was engaging in, but he took his glass of scotch and sipped it appreciatively nonetheless. "Thank you, Yo, this is most kind."

"You're welcome, Gregory. Now, what's her name? Your mistress who your wife found out about. And do you have a picture you could share with your old friend Yo?"

Gregory coughed and sputtered, the whiskey burning his nostrils like napalm. Azama waited patiently, pretending to not notice Gregory's distress.

Gregory finally choked out, "What?"

"You heard me, Greg. I've got your official story and request and that's all anyone outside this office will ever hear. But we've known each other for years so just between you and me, what's her name?"

Gregory could only stare for a moment, eyes still watering from the pain, and then he croaked out, "Madoka. Her name is Madoka."

"A lovely name. So she's Japanese? And I know that as much as you like lugging around that camera of yours you've got to have at least one picture you could share with your old friend. Come on! Give!"

Gregory hesitated only a moment. The knowledge that he really did need Azama Yo's advocacy with the school Administration convinced him to cooperate with his boss's curiosity. He'd hoped to avoid this entirely but he'd mentally prepared himself in case it came up.

Gregory brought out his phone and tapped up a series of photos then handed over the device. It was showing the picture of Madoka wearing her New Year's Eve silk yukata, smiling and waving at the camera. Azama's eyebrows made their own climb up his forehead. As he flipped through the selection of photos Gregory had queued on his phone he could only shake his head in amazement and admiration.

As well as a generous portion of envy.

Azama finished his glass of whiskey in one drink, still admiring the slideshow of photos. "Not Japanese then, but with a Japanese name? And… incredible. Beautiful. But…" Here Azama paused to sigh and shake his head, "So young, Gregory. How old is she?"

Gregory sighed and looked aside. Yeah, this was going to be as bad as he'd feared. He knew that Madoka's apparent age would become a serious issue for him career wise if she became known. Having a mistress was one thing; old-school fellows like Principle would even rather respect it. But having a mistress young enough to possibly pass as a High School student?

That made you a risk. The sort of risk to which responsible school Administrators did not expose their students.

"She's not a minor, Yo. But yes, she's young. Twenty-one, in point of fact."

Azama Yo poured himself and Gregory another two fingers worth of whiskey and leaned back in his chair. "She could _maybe_ pass for twenty-one, I suppose. Damn, Gregory, I don't need to tell you…" The younger man trailed off, lips pursed and brow furrowed in concern while also still looking admiringly at the continuing slideshow on the phone in his hand.

"No, you're right, you don't need to tell me," Gregory answered. "I understand exactly what the problems would be if this became common knowledge. We've been discrete, but… there's no way to guarantee someone with a grudge wouldn't find out and make an issue of this, to my own and possibly the school's embarrassment. My wife, Karen, for example, is certainly someone with a grudge now and she has access to several Board members wives as well as being socially familiar with Principle's wife due to their mutual charity work."

Gregory saw no reason to equivocate or waffle with the facts at this point. The truth was the truth and his best hope for his career was to have his Department Head's help and cooperation.

That assistance could only be purchased with brutal honesty. Gregory knew Azama Yo well enough to be sure of that.

Azama nodded, agreeing with Gregory's description of the situation. He said, "If it doesn't become a public scandal then there is no issue. If it does…"

"I understand entirely, Yo. If this becomes a public scandal I expect you to distance yourself from me, as is only appropriate. Again, she's certainly a legal adult and there's nothing illegal here, but… I do understand the issues."

"It would ruin your career, Gregory. From now on it would follow you anywhere you went."

Gregory nodded then held out both hands, palms up, and shrugged, "Yes, I know. But… what can I do, Yo?"

Azama took one last look at the photo on the screen then handed Gregory's phone back to him. The Department Head smiled and nodded, "You're right, Gregory, you're right. What can you do? Beautiful women have power that men such as you and I are not meant to resist! And your Madoka is a truly beautiful woman. You certainly will not be the first man to be undone by following the whims of his smaller head like a damn fool."

Gregory smiled in sardonic agreement and the two men tapped their glasses lightly together and then finished off the whiskey.

As Gregory stood to leave, Azama Yo said to him, "I wish you a wonderful year's sabbatical, starting with the end of this academic year, Gregory. You lucky son of a bitch."

Gregory laughed as he left the office, feeling lighter-hearted than he'd expected. He _was_ a lucky son-of-a-bitch, from a certain point of view.

As long as that point of view did not contain his lost daughter or his wrecked marriage. Or his now-badly-imperiled professional life and reputation.

It was rapidly getting to the point where Gregory O'Donnell was going to have to stop worrying about his reputation and his career as a schoolteacher. That boat, so to say, had quite likely already sailed.

v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v  
v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v

"Triage," Gregory said as he sat down on the O'Donnell apartment's couch next to Madoka, setting his Diet Coke on the coffee table and then a stack of printout next to the bottle.

It was late Monday evening and the three had already finished dinner. Madoka and Yosuga were dressed for sleeping comfort in short shorts and braless tank tops. It was Gregory's favorite time to sit and talk with his Sekirei about events of the day and having Yosuga there for tall, dark, and slender contrast to Mado's short, blonde, and curvy self was likely going to make it even more a favorite time of day.

Madoka's borrowed short shorts were noticeably loose on Yosuga's slender hips, revealing constant glimpses of white panties with every movement the tall Sekirei made. Gregory found he had to make a real effort to avoid ogling the girl. He'd gotten into some pretty bad habits in that regard over the last few months thanks to Madoka and her not-very-subtle exhibitionist streak she discovered within herself after Wing Bonding with Gregory.

Madoka scowled slightly at the printouts, to Gregory's amusement. She had spent some hours today and this evening on those reports of last night's action. She turned towards him and raised a blonde eyebrow. "Triage, Gregory-kun?"

Yosuga - who had been sitting at Gregory's computer desk reading their preliminary " _So You're A Newly Released Sekirei_ " handout and making notes - turned the office chair around to face the couch. Gregory could not resist eyeing her long, tan, bare legs for just a split second before raising his gaze to the dark-haired Sekirei's face. She answered Madoka's question, "Triage. The assignment of degrees of urgency to wounds or illnesses to decide the order of treatment of a large number of patients or casualties."

Gregory – and Madoka – stared at Yosuga, who looked back and forth between the two on the couch.

Yosuga shrugged, "What? I read about it last night on Wikipedia. After the accident scene yesterday it seemed relevant."

With a chuckle, Gregory nodded agreement. "Yes, Yosuga-san, very relevant. And it's what we have to do when in situations like yesterday."

"Assignment of degrees of urgency," Madoka repeated. "So this is what you do to decide who to help and in what order?"

"Yes, just so, Mado-chan," Gregory answered. "There's actually a great deal of research that's been done on establishing the most effective processes for triage in accidents and disasters. And depending on the nature of the emergency there's different kinds of triage systems that works best. For what we're doing with the emergency scanners it's probably best to keep things as simple as possible."

Gregory handed both Madoka and Yosuga a laminated credit-card-sized "cheat sheet". "Read these, and keep them with you, please."

The sturdy cards provided a color-coded chart:

I Acute – Immediate Treatment – Arterial lesions, internal haemorrhage, major amputations

II Severe – Rapid Treatment – Minor amputations, flesh wounds, fractures and dislocations

III Minor – Treat when practical – Minor lacerations, sprains, abrasions

IV Terminal – No or small chance of survival – Severe injuries, rapid blood loss

"Gregory-kun," Madoka asked, "why is the worst injury listed last instead of first?"

Yosuga answered before Gregory could, a habit of hers that Gregory had quickly noticed and to which he was trying to adjust. He was determined that he would not get angry at being cut off or preempted by a girl who's perception of the world around her probably made her feel as though everyone else was moving in slow motion. He did have to remind himself regularly not to get irritated by this tendency of hers, though.

The slender Sekirei said, in a thoughtful tone of voice, "I would guess that it's because you are supposed to ignore victims lower on the chart in favor of one's who are higher on the list. And people who have obviously fatal injuries, but who just haven't quite gotten around to dying yet, should be ignored in favor of people with lesser, treatable, injuries. Am I right, Gregory-san?"

"Just so, Yosuga-san."

"What? But…" Madoka tried to protest.

Gregory put a hand on her knee to cut her off, knowing exactly what her objection would be. He spoke gently, "Yes, it's a grim thing, Mado-chan. Triage is brutal and it's terrible. But it's also absolutely critical. Emergency responders can waste the time it would take to save ten people's lives trying, and failing, to save one hopeless case. Triage is all about deciding who you _should_ help, not just who you _can_ help, Mado-chan."

The blonde healer responded, "I… I never considered that. That is very true and it must be a terrible thing for those police and fire and ambulance personnel, Gregory-kun."

Gregory nodded agreement, "Yes, it's one of the worst parts of their jobs, no doubt." He gently squeezed Madoka's knee and she met his eyes. Gregory could tell she was upset at even the idea of deliberately leaving someone to die when they were not dead yet.

"Mado-chan," Gregory continued, "for _you_ though… you should probably consider IV's to be above I's. Because an ambulance crew can't save someone who's mortally injured but who's still alive but… you… you might be able to. You likely _can_ do so."

He smiled crookedly at his little blonde Sekirei and added, "Probably as important, though a bit selfish, we need to remember _why we're doing this_. We're not out there trying to increase vehicle accident survivability in Shin Tokyo, Mado-chan. That's not _really_ out goal, right? We're doing this so that you can learn how to treat critical injuries in an emergency situation. And experience staving off fatal bleeding from a neck puncture, for instance, is probably more important than experience in healing road rash or even reattaching a finger."

Madoka considered this and nodded, "I agree, Gregory-kun, with both the idea that I should try to save the most badly injured first _and_ that I am doing this to gain critical experience and I should not lose sight of that fact. It is very easy to lose track of the big picture when you are facing a scene like we had last night."

"I know, Mado-chan. You did wonderfully though. You and Yosuga-san both." Gregory turned and smiled at Yosuga. "I was immensely impressed with both of you. For a first time crisis scene you both did very well."

Gregory held up the small sheaf of hardcopy they had each been reading earlier in the evening. A printout of all three's written descriptions of Sunday night's events and their own actions as well as their thinking for the decisions they individually made during the crisis.

"Remember that we can nitpick our choices no matter what we choose to do or choose not to do. But that's not why we write reports of what we did after an action situation. All three of us sitting down and writing exactly what happened and what our responses were to events as they happened is an invaluable aid in helping all of us do better next time."

Madoka grumbled with a pout showing up on her full lips, "But Gregory-kun, it is really a pain. Trying to remember exactly what I did and when and why, even a day later, it is really difficult."

Agreeing, Gregory nodded, "It is a pain. But earlier tonight us reading and reviewing these reports together and learning from them was such a big deal I can't even express how important it was. You two both just absolutely rock as far as I'm concerned. Both in what you did at the scene last night and in how you've handled the after action debriefing and analysis. Veterans of emergency services and critical response units would be hard pressed to handle the after action debriefing as calmly and as well as you two have. You're both just awesome, I mean that."

Both Yosuga and Madoka smiled, happy with Gregory's compliments. They received little if any positive feedback in the MBI Sekirei Labs from the Researchers or the tutors who were brought in to give them at least a basic education. Gregory's unstinting praise of them was very much appreciated, especially given that neither of them had enjoyed the process of writing their individual reports or going over each other's statements. It was entirely too easy to fall into the habit of criticizing every choice you made. Even worse, it was easy to get in the habit of criticizing every choice the other people made.

Keeping the report writing and the after-action review positive and constructive was where Gregory's temperament and experience in teaching paid substantial dividends.

Yosuga tucked the cheat sheet card in with her personal notes then asked, "Gregory-san, where did you get these cards?"

Gregory removed his hand from Madoka's bare leg and straightened up on the couch before answering. "Ah. Karen and I, you know, my wife… we volunteered as relief workers for the Red Cross in several disasters. Notably during the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. We weren't paramedics or anything, just grunt workers. But we had to have training, which included the triage systems. So I still had those cards from then."

Yosuga and Madoka glanced at each other then let the subject drop.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence Gregory cleared his throat and asked, "Mado-chan, did you happen to get the name of the boy that you… ah… kept from dying?"

"No, Gregory-kun. Was I supposed to? I did not think to get his name. I had intended to try and remove or dull his memories of the accident, given what he likely witnessed, but I had no opportunity to do any mental Redaction. All of my attention was on repairing his physical injuries."

With a grimace, Gregory shook his head, "No, I didn't really expect you to get his name. I was just hoping you had. We need to try to find out who he is and keep an eye on him as much as practical. He was _dead_ , Mado-chan, and you returned some semblance of life to his body. And we're the _only people who know about it._ So when he starts developing a need to drink blood or eat brains we're the only people who are going to know what is going on."

Yosuga and Madoka both stared, astonished, at Gregory. Madoka found her voice first, "What do you mean, Gregory-kun? Why… what…"

"He's _undead_ now, Mado-chan! His soul had already left his body yet he's still alive! There's a word for that: _undead_! We have to keep an eye on him in case the worst happens."

Again, Yosuga and Madoka just stared at Gregory, unable to respond for several long moments to this unexpected turn in their discussion.

"Gregory-san… there's no such thing as vampires or zombies," Yosuga eventually averred resolutely.

He protested, "That we know of! There was no such thing as mind-reading super powered sex goddesses either until just a few months ago. Nothing would surprise me now!" He looked back and forth between the two young women then slumped his shoulders, "Fine, but in 15 years if there's an outbreak of vampirism in Shin Tokyo, it isn't my fault!"

Madoka, blushing furiously at being even obliquely referred to as a super powered sex goddess, hit him with one of the couch's throw pillows as Yosuga finally cracked up laughing.

v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v

Later that night Madoka's attention was completely focused on her own sex goddess: _that girl. H_ er favorite subject to study in the entire world, even if she had to use her Ashikabi's sensorium to experience sex with _that girl_.

"Yes, oh god, yes, yes… fuck… unh!" She cried out as _that girl_ wrapped her legs around Madoka's waist and dug her heels into her ass muscles, pulling her deeper and harder into her hot, tight, slickness. It was the most wonderful sensation Madoka could ever imagine. Then - like every time - when _that girl_ hooked her ankles together around Madoka's back it sent Madoka completely over the edge into (yet another) intense, mind-blanking, climax. Every muscle in Madoka's body seemed to be trying to contribute to each gush of pleasure that shot from her, through her, and into her.

Afterwards gasping for breath, both Madoka and her Ashikabi lay entwined as their orgasm slowly receded. Madoka's awareness of how she was completely within Gregory's mind just as he was completely within her body brought a contented smile to her face as well as amusing her. It was a fact that she and Gregory were likely the only lovers in the history of sex who could justly call it "their" orgasm. No matter that Gregory was still unaware of this fact.

Madoka: { _Gregory-kun, I love you so._ }

The Farspoken words connected with her Ashikabi's awareness in spite of his minimal and entirely latent metapsychic talents.

Gregory - laying atop Madoka and between her legs but holding himself up on his elbows somewhat so as to not crush her uncomfortably - lifted his head from where he'd been gently kissing the side of her neck in post-coital bliss.

Gregory: { _Mado-chanLover? How..._ }

She reached up and caressed his cheek, gazing up into his green eyes in the dim light of the bedroom. She let the thoughts form in his awareness.

Madoka: { _When we are close like this it is possible. It is less and less that I can casually hear your thoughts; you have started putting up a basic shield in your day-to-day life that is at least adequate for preserving your privacy. But after we have made love there are no barriers between us for at least a moment._ }

Gregory smiled down at her, still breathing deeply due to his recent sexual efforts, adoration for her shining in his expression and the tenor of his mind-speech.

Gregory: { _If it only lasts a short time then I want you to know how much I love you, Mado-chanLover._ }

She lifted her head to kiss him, a short yet sweet meeting of their lips, which resulted in no Wing Flare. _That_ had already happened, less than half-an-hour earlier when Gregory's 1.4 picoseconds worth of resistance to having sex with Madoka in the same bed he used to share with his wife had crumbled.

She said, aloud, "I know, Gregory-kun. And I love how you love me."

Gregory, arms growing fatigued, nodded and rolled to the side, pulling Madoka over so they were both lying on their sides facing each other.

Madoka murmured, "I want you to know that I saw in your mind your concern about how much I risked in saving that boy. Know, please, that now that I am aware of where those lines are I will avoid them in the future. As much as I wanted to help him I would not have deliberately risked my life or yours to save him."

He said, "I figured as much and realized you'd simply gotten carried away in the moment, not knowing what you were doing. It was amazing you could save him like you did. But I agree it's probably a good idea to avoid risking so much in the future. At least… if you _do_ decide to make that gamble you'll know for sure that you're making it and what the stakes are."

Madoka closed her eyes and snuggled in close, resting her cheek against Gregory's only-sparsely-haired chest. Still feeling the warm glow of happy, fulfilling sex suffusing her entire being she held onto her Ashikabi, both physically and metapsychically, sharing her happiness and contentedness with him.

And incidentally erasing just a little bit more of the ghost of Gregory O'Donnell's wife from his thoughts.

"Oh, and Gregory-kun? If Yosu-chan does not find an Ashikabi quickly I want you to wing bond her."

Half-asleep Gregory mumbled, "Okay, whatever you want, Mado-chan."

"I love you, Gregory-kun."

"I love you, Mado-chan."

…

"Wait… say again?! What was that about Yosuga-san? Mado-chan? Mado-chan?"

v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v  
v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v

The next morning after Gregory left the apartment for work, Madoka and Yosuga got to work on their to-do list. First, a visit to the Narushima Bicycle Shop.

Since it was still rather chilly outside this early in the day the two Sekirei called for a taxi to take them from the O'Donnell apartment to the specialty bicycle shop where Madoka had purchased her Cervelo bike. After tying her bicycle onto the taxi's bike rack the two girls settled into the back seat of the taxi.

Madoka took Yosuga's hand and Farspoke her on the intimate mode, where no other Sekirei would be able to snoop.

Madoka: { _#caution YosuchanSister, for the ride to the bicycle store let us use Farspeech. This way we can talk without concern about MBI snooping through our unsafe phones. We do not want to take the unsafe phones offline; it would be suspicious and raise red flags on our file. Occasionally it would be written off as normal signal loss and other insignificant chatter but as long as it is you and I who need to talk we can use Farspeech for safe communication. When it is GregoryAshikabi we usually pull the batteries from our phones or we chose to discuss matters that we do not care if MBI overhears, since GregoryAshikabi is difficult to reach with casual Farspeech, even on the intimate mode._ }

Yosuga: { _Okay, goodideasmartthinking MadoSister. So let me make sure I have this right. Since we're traveling from the apartment and we are going to be using the MBI cards on our errands this morning we make sure to carry our unsafe phones? So that the location tracking we assume MBI is doing shows us moving around the city correctly, since they're going to know where we use the card anyway?_ }

Madoka: { _#agreement Yes, just so. We do not know what MBI calls their different departments but we refer to the part of their organization that is in charge of collecting information about us Sekirei and our Ashikabi as 'MBI Intelligence'. We assume that enforcement of the rules - and whatever other whims strike Minaka-san - is a separate department. We refer to them as 'MBI Security'. If we do not give MBI Intelligence any information, it would be suspicious. If we are suspicious enough then we assume MBI Intelligence will resort to assigning less automated processes, more human specialists, to the job of tracking us and our Ashikabi and other associates. Thus, GregoryAshikabi determined that it was a better idea to give them information but to make sure that the information they collect is only trivia or is possibly even actively misleading. We are going about our business today 'publicly'. Because though what you and I are doing today is important it is not critical that it be hidden from MBI or – just as importantly – the other Ashikabi who have compromised MBI's databases, such as creepKakizaki who works for bastardHigaIzumi. #disgustanger_ }

Yosuga considered this as she flipped her own brand new "unsafe" phone repeatedly in her hand. She had purchased the same Samsung model that Madoka had received as a Christmas gift from her Ashikabi since Madoka could easily show her how to use it. Madoka had also provided her with one "safe" phone from their stash of pre-paid burner phones but that phone was kept in her purse, powered off, while she was traveling and shopping "publicly".

Yosuga: { _It makes sense. #impressedapproval This is a good plan, MadochanSister. Much better than what I had thought of; just not using my MBI card unless it was an emergency and trying to stay off MBI's radar that way._ }

Madoka: { _I hope it is a good plan. We will not know though unless MBI tries to crack our efforts and we then will find out if our plan was good enough. GregoryAshikabi says that is always the nature of defending yourself from espionage. All too often you do not know if you did a good enough job until it is too late to try something different. Just try to think in terms of public or hidden when you leave home. Which of those two modes you are going to be in while you are out and about will determine which phone you should carry and use, whether you should be carrying and using your MBI Card, if you should be using untraceable cash, and so on. #sardonicamusement It does take a little getting used to, thinking in these terms all of the time._ }

Yosuga: { _#agreement I can see how that would indeed take some getting used to. And just one mistake could take a great deal of effort to correct. Especially if that mistake clued MBI Intelligence in on the fact that you are using these 'burner phones' and making other efforts to mislead their automated data collection. I assume that if they found out you were even trying such things they would just bite the bullet and assign human resources to tail you all of the time from that point on? #happysmile What would I do without you to help me so, MadoSister?_ }

Madoka: { _#smile_ _Really it is more GregoryAshikabi than me, Yosu-chan. If not for him I would know very little of how to keep out of MBI's eyesight._ }

Yosuga opened the encrypted notes file on her phone, looked for their agenda for the day, and then changed to speaking aloud. "So, Mado-chan, we have to buy me a new bicycle. This is so that the two of us can travel around more easily than taxis or on foot, because me carrying you around on my back as I jump around from building roof to building roof would be inconvenient, right?"

"Yes, Yosu-chan. I love my bicycle, it is very liberating! I think you will love having one too. And it is not my fault I cannot jump across building roofs like you can! Mah, so cruel, reminding me of my shortcomings!"

Yosuga laughed softly at Madoka's huffy expression then resumed examining her to-do list. "So, after we get me a bike, we pick up a high quality duffle bag for me to use and a couple more for you. Then we'll make the daily ATM withdrawal at a nearby post office. _Then_ we ride the bicycles back up to the Shinjuku Train Station where we'll rent me a storage locker to keep my duffel full of yen until I find an Ashikabi and have a more settled living situation. Does that sound like it?"

"Yes, that sounds like the plan. Come on, we are here at the bicycle shop! Oh, I am so excited! You will love the Cervelo bicycles, I promise!"

v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v

Walking with their bicycles away from the Narushima Bicycle Shop and its weeping-with-gratitude sales clerk, Madoka pointed to the northeast and told Yosuga, "Right over there, about a block away, is a huge sports park, the Meijijingu Gaien, which contains several stadiums for baseball as well as golf driving ranges and a large running and bicycling track. We will go over there and practice riding your new bicycle."

She shifted to Farspeech on the intimate mode in order to tell Yosuga her actual plan for the rest of the morning.

Madoka: {#hopefullybeingclever _Actually, YosuSister, you go to the sports park and I will ride my bicycle to the…_ }

Madoka paused, looking for a way to describe the Ebisu safe house without saying where it was.

Yosuga: { _The Other Place?_ }

Madoka: { _#pleasedrelief Yes, the Other Place. It is about 3.5 kilometers from here so it is not a terribly far bicycle ride. I need to go there to make sure everything is okay and water the plants, pick up any junk mail accumulating at the door and suchlike. GregoryLover nor I have been there in a while due to spending the weekend at the Grand Hyatt and then staying at the O'Donnell apartment with you, so I need to at least drop by and take care of minor housekeeping chores. Here, I need you to keep my unsafe phone on you so that the GPS shows the two of us are at the Meijijingu Gaien riding our bicycles. I will meet you back here at the bicycle shop in two hours. Then we will go have lunch, okay? So work up an appetite at the Meijijingu Gaien!_ }

Yosuga: { _#cheerfulagreement Yes that will be fine MadoSister. #Query Why is the salesman at the bicycle shop still weeping? Just how much money is the ¥700,000 we paid for this bicycle?_ }

Madoka: { _#amusement I asked Gregory-kun the same thing. Without getting into how much yen different jobs pay and how hard it is to qualify for those jobs, just know that ¥700,000 would take Gregory-kun two months to earn at his professional job as an English teacher in high school. And that does not consider that he must pay living expenses out of his income. In terms of how long it would take Gregory-kun to save up that much money if he saved all of the money he had at the end of the month after paying rent and bills for electricity and his payment on his Jeep and such? It would take him maybe a year and a half to save up that much. If he was willing to eliminate all of the extras he spends his money on now and save every scrap of money he could._ }

Yosuga: { _#astonishment That means the ¥500,000 we get from the MBIPlatinumCard via the ATM every day is actually a great deal of money, isn't it?}_

_Madoka: {Yes, it really is. It is more than Gregory-kun's gross monthly income by a significant amount. Gregory was shocked when we discovered that the only limit on cash withdrawal from the MBIPlatinumCard was the normal daily limit common to Japanese bankcards, ¥500,000.}_

_Yosuga: {So these are extremely expensive bicycles for anyone working at a regular job. Or even for someone working at a good job. No wonder the salesman is so very happy about making a sale!_ }

Madoka: { _#laughter &agreement Yes, he likely does not sell more than one of these very high end bicycles a month, maybe only one every two months. We really did just make his day with buying the Cervelo R8 and the accessories you needed. I admit I was tempted to purchase that brand new Cervelo P10 track bicycle and let MBI eat the ¥1,000,000. Did you see, it only weighs 5 kilograms! Even with the tires and seat!_}

Yosuga: { _I assume that is remarkably lightweight for a bicycle?_ }

Madoka: { _Gregory's reaction to the 6.8 kilogram gross weight of my R8 was to say that it was an "amazing accomplishment of materials science and engineering". He was extremely impressed so I assume there is good reason. But the P10, I resisted the temptation. The R series is a far better street bicycle and the P series is only superior on a track. Have I mentioned how much I love my bicycle, YosuSister? #gleehappinessamusement We can thank MBI for their generosity in sharing the wealth they have made from everything they stole from the Sekirei and our ship._ }

Aloud Madoka said, "To the Meijijingu Gaien to practice on the bicycles, Yosu-chan!" She then winked to her friend, handed her own unsafe-phone to Yosuga, then bicycled off towards the Ebisu safe house.

Yosuga stashed Madoka's unsafe phone in her shoulder bag then headed towards the sports park on novice, unsteady, wobbly bicycle wheels.

v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v  
v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v

Lunch was at Madoka's favorite Starbucks, near the Omotesandō in Shibuya. They were joined by 76 Midorino, who Madoka had contacted using the new Hushmail encrypted SMS/Text app on her safe phone.

She had not seen Midorino in days and wanted to give the lonely girl an excuse to get out of Kohaku-san's apartment for at least a little while. Madoka also wanted to find out if the strawberry blonde Sekirei would be interested in doing more photography. She had several ideas for photo setups that would suit Midorino very well and Madoka wanted to offer the other blonde the chance to meet up during the coming weekend for another modeling shoot.

After introducing 76 Midorino to 44 Yosuga (and Yosuga promising to spar with Midorino sometime soon so Midorino could prove to her that the glaive was far better than a pair of sai), Madoka found herself telling Midorino the story of rescuing Yosuga from the clutches of Higa Izumi and his Sekirei.

Afterwards, Madoka's two friends heard about how she had fond memories of this coffee shop since it was where her Ashikabi had given her the first Christmas present that she had ever received.

Things like that were important, both girls agreed.

Yosuga smiled, listening to Madoka talk about Gregory O'Donnell. Never in a million years would Yosuga have thought her diminutive blonde friend would be so devoted to another person. Yosuga dearly loved her friend but she was not blind to Madoka's faults. And the blonde had many. She was shallow, vain, self-centered to the point of narcissism while somehow also being riddled with a great deal of insecurity and a terrible self-image. In spite of being in the top percentile of Sekirei intelligence, she hid her brilliance and spent her time and effort on trivia such as makeup, clothes, what musicians or idols were popular this week.

At times she drove Yosuga to distraction.

However, Madoka had changed, dramatically, in the months after she was released into Shin Tokyo to find an Ashikabi.

Yosuga would go so far as to say her friend had blossomed, had grown into her potential. Perhaps she had maybe even grown up.

The shy, timid, pretty girl Yosuga had spent her childhood with was now beyond beautiful. Past the physical growth was the more important inner growth. Madoka was shedding her insecurities, replacing her poor self-image, shallow values, and selfishness with genuine confidence, a firm sense of self-worth, and caring about someone else more than she cared about herself.

Madoka was still herself; she hadn't changed into another person. She still had more interest in fashion and makeup than she had in politics or science. She still spent more time picking out just the right accessories to go with her phone than she spent learning about medical procedures she might duplicate with her Redaction metafaculties.

She was still Madoka. But better.

The old Madoka would not have made a friend like 76 Midorino. She would have likely found the somewhat-airheaded bubbly younger girl irritating or intimidating. Now, though, she comfortably chatted and laughed with the other blonde, demonstrating complete comfort with the other girl's presence.

Yosuga had always admired her friend's physical magnificence but now she was learning to appreciate Madoka's growing inner beauty as well.

And all because of the most unlikely Ashikabi in the Sekirei Plan, Gregory O'Donnell?

So it would seem.

The girls were finishing the sandwiches and pastries that they'd ordered for their lunch, enjoying the warmth inside the Starbucks. Yosuga and Madoka had been more than a bit chilled after the last two hours of bicycling in the late February overcast. Yosuga round and round the bicycle tracks at the Meijijingu Gaien sports park and Madoka from bicycling halfway across Shibuya Ward to the "Other Place" to take care of housekeeping chores there.

Yosuga was glad that within the two hours of practice time she had, she'd gotten much better at controlling her new Cervelo bicycle. At first she thought she was going to crash every time she tried to take off or stop. But she eventually learned to carefully control her Sekirei speed and mastered the trick of balance that riding a bicycle required. It was fun. Not as fun as leaping from high rise buildings but still, fun.

Midorino was enthusiastic about their bicycles and had already vowed to talk her Ashikabi into getting them both Cervelo R8 bikes. Madoka gave her the name and address of the Narushima Bike Shop with a grin to Yosuga at the thought of the soon-to-be very happy sales staff.

As Madoka finished the last bit of her tuna sandwich on wheat she Farspoke to both of her companions.

Madoka: { _This weekend Gregory and I are going to be at the Other Place. Yosuga-chan, you should do what we often do on weekends and pick out a Five Star hotel and let MBI treat you to a weekend of delicious food, salon treatments, and manicures and pedicures. Then rejoin us Sunday night back at the apartment?_ }

Yosuga: { _That sounds like a good idea. I expect you and your Ashikabi would like some time to yourself and I've been feeling like I'm intruding._ }

Madoka: { _#alarm No, not at all, YosugaSister! I do not feel like you have been intruding and I do not believe Gregory-kun feels that way either. It is just that since none of us know what your future holds as far as an Ashikabi goes we cannot take you to the Other Place and we really prefer spending our time there over the apartment. It is not you! Believe me. I wish you could be with us all of the time!_ }

Madoka's mindspeech was clear and earnest, leaving Yosuga no doubt as to her honesty. It was touching to the tall Sekirei that Madoka and her Ashikabi both had welcomed her into their lives so much. Though maybe neither of them would be happy with how much of their lives Yosuga had peeked into.

Trying to keep her mindspeech clear of any mild guilt from her peeking last night into the master bedroom of the apartment with her Farsenses while Gregory and Madoka had sex, Yosuga replied.

Yosuga: { _Thank you, MadokaSister. #warmaffectionlove Still, I think it would be good for you and Gregory-san to have a weekend to yourselves. You've done so much for me and I am sure that I will be fine enjoying a weekend at the Grand Hyatt. I only got to see a little of it when we were there the weekend I was released but I remember their room service was excellent._ }

Madoka: {#smile _Good, then that will be the plan. When we get to the apartment you can use the computer to easily make reservations for a nice room for Friday and Saturday night. You can jump home to the apartment Sunday evening faster than you could take a taxi so we would see you then. And MidoPrettyGirl, you will be meeting me Saturday to spend the early part of the day shooting modeling pictures, right?_ }

Midorino: {#excitement _That's the plan! #confusion &query What is this Other Place you and Yosuga-chan spoke of, BigSisterMadoka_?}

Madoka: { _That is what we call the safe house that GregoryAshikabi and I have. Remember us talking to you and Kohaku-san about finding another place to rent in addition to his apartment, a place that no one knows about so that you two would have somewhere to hide if things get dangerous?_ }

Midorino: { _Oh, yes! #excitement I remember and KohakuLove found us a place like that! And we are buying food and supplies to be in it in case we have to hide out there. #happycontentment That my AwesomeKohakuILoveHimSoMuch is doing things like this to make us safe makes me very happy. And the place we got is really awesome! I want to show it to you!_ }

Yosuga smiled at the other girl's bubbly enthusiasm as Madoka tried to temper her enthusiasm.

Madoka: { _Remember though, MidoPrettyGirl, a safe house is supposed to be secret and no one but you and Kohaku-san are supposed to know about it, okay? If anyone else finds out about it then it will not be as safe for the two of you, right?_ }

Midorino: { _Right, BigSisterMadoka! It's mine and KohakuAshikabi's Other Place so no one else should know where it is. It's in Shibuya Ward._ }

Madoka rubbed her forehead as Yosuga tried to stifle a laugh.

Madoka: {#patientexplaination _See, you should not say where it is, MidoPrettyGirl. You should not let anyone know where it is unless you and your Ashikabi are sure you want to share that information with them._ }

Midorino: { _Oh you are completely right, BigSisterMado. Top Secret! It's right behind the Napoli Pizzeria, in Shibuya Ward, only a block away from the United Nations University._ }

Madoka facepalmed as Yosuga continued her efforts to not crack up laughing.

Midorino: { _#clearmentalimage of the location plus an image of the outside of the three-story office/residential unit the safe house was in._ }

With Yosuga now laughing and trying to cover it up with a fake cough, Madoka just shook her head.

Madoka: { _Yosuchan? Just… just pretend you never heard that._ }

Midorino: { _The street address is 150-0002 Tōkyō-to, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya, 1 Chome−5−9._ }

Yosuga: { _Of course, MadoSister. Oh, Mido-chan, you are just the sweetest, you really are. You are precious, I am glad MadoSister introduced us and hope we can be friends._ }

Midorino agreed and just laughed along with Yosuga, not entirely sure why the dark haired Sekirei was laughing but caught up in the humor anyway.

Yosuga set her almost empty strawberry Frappuccino down onto the small table that the three occupied next to one of the windows that allowed the two to watch their (very well chained up) Cervelo bicycles outside. She then asked aloud, "Mado-chan, you told me how you've been practicing with your healing, or Redaction as it's more properly called. Have you thought to use your Redaction to make your Ashikabi healthier or even better off physically than he is now?"

Quickly running through her head the likely course of such a conversation – as well as considering the problems Farspeech conversations had with people like Midorino who simply were not devious enough to hide things that should be hidden while sharing Farspeech with someone – Madoka agreed silently that it should be okay to have this conversation aloud. She answered, "I have thought of it but am reluctant to do too much. I told you about the disaster a few weeks ago when I first used my Norito in an attempt to help settle Gregory's mind through the obsession that was growing. I learned a lot about the Law of Unintended Consequences then. I admit I am a bit hesitant to experiment on my Ashikabi at this point because of my experiences that week."

Yosuga nodded her understanding. "I can understand that. I can't imagine how terrifying that week must have been for you. But what about using your ability like you used to, unfocused but general healing? If you hit him with a Norito every morning with the intention to just generally undo some of the damage time has done to his body then it's not real likely that something would backfire, right? Focusing on a desire just for him to be healthier and maybe younger?"

Madoka sipped her own Frappuccino and considered the suggestion. After a moment she agreed, "You are likely right. There is not a lot that could go badly with just wanting someone to be healthier and to restore them against the ways time has worn them down. It would be nice for Gregory if he had the endurance and strength he had when he was younger. And though he would never admit it I know that he dislikes the effects aging has had on his appearance. Things like his receding hairline, the loss of elasticity in his skin, even, you know, less, um, sexual desire than a young man."

Yosuga giggled softly, "Is that a problem then?"

This question captured Midorino's attention completely.

Madoka rolled her eyes and shook her head, "No, it is not really what I would call a problem. But what is delightful once a night would probably be far more delightful a couple of times a day and three times a night, yes?"

Midorino's eyes bugged out at that and Yosuga had to cover her mouth with her hand again to stifle her own laughter. "Oh my, the look on your face, Mado-chan. But yes, you should think about ways to help with these things. No other Ashikabi has a Sekirei who can do for them what you can do for Gregory. You should take advantage of that! So, what would you think of other than a general desire to increase his health, when you used your Norito on him?"

"Hmmmm," Madoka considered the question carefully. "I read several articles on related subjects during the week that I was trying to fix the mistake I made in Gregory-kun's mind that caused him to forget who I was for a short time. Happiness is a reflection of a person's blood chemistry and brain chemistry. People settle into a natural level of happiness that is determined by their genetics regardless of circumstance. The hedonic treadmill, it is called. You adjust normally your 'pace' to match the treadmill of your circumstances. So though GregoryAshikabi is happier with me in his life than he would be without me, he still levels out to a level of happiness within his normal range quickly. I could do something about that I think."

"Brilliant, Mado-chan! So, how would you put that in words or in your thoughts as you used your Norito?"

"Something like a small permanent increase in Gregory's baseline Dopamine, Oxytocin, Endorphin, and Serotonin levels? Even more important would be permanently increasing his testosterone production back to where it was 20 years ago. Testosterone has a great deal of influence on the mind and body, especially for men. And it drops in normal production dramatically at the age Gregory is at. Humans have a natural range of 'normal' in all of those neurochemicals and hormones, all controlled by their genetics. So some people are just naturally happier, or more confident, or more social depending on where they fall in the range of 'normal' thanks to who their parents were. Some men are genetically programmed to produce a great amount of testosterone and growth hormone which in turn makes them large, muscular, energetic athletic types naturally. They also would have much higher than average sex drives. I could try to change where Gregory is on the 'normal' line for those neurochemicals and hormones I suppose, as long as I keep his new 'normal' within the bounds of what can be found in natural human genetics, right?"

Yosuga nodded as Midorino watched the two with a blank expression on her beautiful face. Yosuga agreed with Madoka's idea though. "That sounds about right, as long as you were firmly keeping in mind that you wanted the changes to be incremental and within the human range. Someone who's genetics built a body and mind that was at the high end of production and utilization of those neurochemicals and hormones would be a far happier, more energetic, more confident, person. That's what you're saying, right?"

"Yes. Before I went any further than just general movement along the 'normal' range with manipulating his neurochemistry and hormones I would want to dig into the research in a great deal more depth. But for a daily general 'be healthy, be happy, be youthful and energetic' Norito? As long as I keep in mind that my goal is to do no harm, to only make incremental changes, and to work within the normal human range for things like, say, testosterone production, I think it would be helpful for him." Madoka smiled at Yosuga and took her hand across the table, "Thank you for mentioning this. I have been reluctant to even try but if you think it is a good idea I will see if Gregory will agree."

Yosuga smiled and squeezed her friend's hand. "As long as you're clear in your mind as to what your goals are then I think it would be greatly helpful for him. He is a wonderful guy as he is but can he be himself but better? _You_ are, now, compared to who you were a year ago. Yourself, but better."

Madoka ducked her head in embarrassment at the compliment, "Do you think so? And you think I could help Gregory just be… Gregory but better? Like himself with his younger body but still with the experience and wisdom that he has acquired in his life?"

"Yes, I think you could, Mado-chan. Even better than his youthful body. At least you should talk to him about it and see if he'd be willing to let you try, huh? And I would be glad to help you research more specific things to try as well."

Madoka smiled and looked out the window at the chilly February sky, expression going distant and vague. She murmured, "Gregory-kun with the sex drive he had at 20? Yes, I think that would be something worth working towards."

"That is so unfair," Midorino protested. "I still haven't convinced Kohaku-kun that we should be sharing a bed. You are so far ahead, Mado-chan! Can you help me with how to convince Kohaku-kun to start with the sex soon?"

Yosuga laughed at Madoka's expression and stood up from the table, "Come on, let's go. We need to stop at the train station and rent storage lockers for these duffle bags before we return to the apartment for the evening. Mado-chan, you can talk to Gregory-san about this tonight. I think he'll be excited about the idea. And Mido-chan you should absolutely get Mado to help you with that."

Madoka sighed and rested her forehead in her palm. "Thanks for that, Yosu-chan."

Midorino cheered, "Yay! Mado-chan is going to help me with the sex!"

Yosuga almost fell over from laughing so hard.

v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v  
v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v

After affectionate hugs and kisses for both Madoka and Yosuga, Midorino departed for the apartment she shared with her Ashikabi. Madoka and Yosuga unchained their bikes and cycled from the b-side Omotesandō Starbucks to the enormous Shinjuku train station that was not far from the O'Donnell apartment. The two Sekirei searched out a pair of storage lockers for rent side by side. Finding two excellent secure lockers Madoka and Yosuga pre-paid for a year on each locker then stored their new canvas and carbon fiber duffle bags within the lockers. They committed the new lock combinations to memory, double-checked each other's lockers to make sure they had the combinations right, and then headed for the west exit where their Cervelo bikes were secured.

Madoka commented, "Easy enough to come to this station each day and pick up our bags then visit one of the many ATM's within easy walking distance for the daily withdrawals. Secure storage at the, um, Other Place has run out of room so this will help a lot. And this way if something happens to our other secure storage we will have this as a backup."

"Exactly, Mado-chan," Yosuga agreed. "Easy access, traffic goes through here 24 hours a day, so no one will look sideways at us for being here any time of day or night, and we can arrive or depart either on foot or on one of the millions of trains that service this place daily. It's perfect."

When they had reached the last wide hallway before the exit Madoka paused and then pulled Yosuga along as she went into one of the many businesses that operated along the passageways inside Shinjuku Station, a gift shop as it happened.

Yosuga looked confused as she asked, "What are we doing in here, Mado-chan?"

"Give me a moment, Yosu-chan. I want to look at these, ah, magazines."

The verbal reply was followed quickly with a Farspoken answer to Yosuga's question.

Madoka: { _My Farsense picked up someone in this store who has a significant level of metapsychic ability but is not a Sekirei. I wanted to see if I could find whoever this person is and see if they might be a potential Ashikabi._ }

Yosuga blinked in surprise and looked around the small gift shop with its narrow aisles offering news magazines and candy and drinks of all sorts for busy commuters coming and going from Shinjuku Station.

Yosuga: { _Who is it, can you tell?_ }

Madoka: { _Yes, it is the young man working at the cash register. See him? Kind of tall? He is absolutely a latent metapsychic and has Ashikabi potential._ }

Yosuga: { _The good looking guy with the broad shoulders?_ }

Madoka took a minute to pick out a magazine and handed it to Yosuga.

Madoka: { _Yes, him. Go up to the cash register and pay for this and talk to him while you are there. Flirt a little if you can. We need to see if you React to him, Yosu-chan. And I will watch with my Farsight as well as my Redaction to see if I can tell what exactly happens, okay?_ }

Taking the magazine and looking from Madoka to the young man at the cash register Yosuga looked very unsure about this course of action.

Yosuga: { _#apprehension &trepidation MadoSister are you sure? What if he kisses me but I don't know anything about him! Are you sure?_}

Madoka: { _If you do not react, then you do not react. But it is at least worth trying. Do you mind if I use a Redaction Probe to connect to your mind while you speak to him? It is very difficult to establish one if I am not physically touching my target but I think if I make the connection here and you walk over there and I stay still I can maintain the probe so I can see exactly what is happening on a metapsychic level._ }

Yosuga: { _Sure, Mado-chan that's fine/No it isn't fine I don't want to wing bond to a stranger! #abashedembarassment Nevermind, I'm sorry Mado-chan. Okay, establish your Redaction Probe. I'm going over to talk to him._ }

After connecting to Yosuga's metapsychic and mental being with her Redaction Probe, Madoka closed her eyes and focused entirely on the Farsight and Redact image of Yosuga approaching the cashier.

She watched as the Sekirei and the potential Ashikabi spoke to each other. Yosuga spent a few moments at the counter, responding to the young man's efforts at small talk and flirting. Madoka realized she did not need to encourage Yosuga to flirt; her dark haired friend was easily attractive enough to get the young man's attention and he was making the effort to flirt with Yosuga himself.

Madoka watched the metapsychic essence of both as a tendril of metapsychic energy reached out from the young man. In response to this metapsychic "reaching out" a small tendril of metapsychic essence responded from Yosuga. These tendrils never made it as far as reaching the other person, only drifting outwards towards the other a slight bit before failing to connect and retracting.

It was obvious that the young man's metapsychic strength levels simply were not high enough to convince Yosuga's metapsychic core that he was a potential Ashikabi. She realized that she was watching the failure of the potential Ashikabi to establish a reaction in Yosuga. Why did the connection fail, why didn't the tendril reach further from the Ashikabi and why didn't Yosuga's tendril reach hardly beyond her tama core at all? Was it just the level of metapsychic strength in the young man that was inadequate?

Focusing her attention as sharply as she could on what was transpiring, Madoka then saw that in addition to the basic metapsychic strength of the potential Ashikabi vs the activation threshold of Yosuga, there were other factors determining how effective the effort at connection was. In addition to basic metapsychic strength there were number of other factors that seemed to be adding to the potential Ashikabi's appeal or reducing his appeal.

Two factors seemed to be affecting the young man's Overall Metapsychic Power Rating, mostly in a negative way, and thus making it obvious that he would not reach Yosuga's Activation Threshold for Reaction.

First was a set of characteristics both Sekirei and the potential Ashikabi had as part of their personalities and their nature. Characteristics that were checked for compatibility. These characteristics or attributes matched up with either positive/compatible, negative/incompatible, or neutral.

Secondly and lastly there was an effect from both parties that represented the circumstances of their encounter. Madoka could see that Yosuga's reluctance was increasing her Activation Threshold dramatically. The young man's consideration of Yosuga as an attractive woman worth hitting on gave his Metapsychic Power Rating a boost towards reaching Yosuga's Activation Threshold but it was far from enough to actually cause Yosuga to React.

As Yosuga returned from the counter and stood next to Madoka the blonde Sekirei released her Redact probe and closed off her Farsense. She took a moment to consider what she had seen then used her Farsense and Redaction to reevaluate the young man's metapsychic profile, looking specifically for those attributes that added or subtracted so much from his appeal with Yosuga.

Sure enough, she could see them now that she knew what to look for. Twenty different attributes that matched up in some way - positive, negative, or neutral - with those same attributes in a Sekirei. She could see her own set of compatibility attributes as well, now that she knew what to look for (and she saw that she was, coincidentally, more compatible with the young man at the counter than Yosuga was).

Yosuga: { _MadoSister? Did you see what you were looking for? I didn't really feel any kind of reaction from him, though he seemed like a nice guy. A bit too flirty for my taste, maybe. He is attractive, I'll admit that. He certainly seemed confident and well spoken. More your type than mine, I think._ }

Madoka: { _#thoughtfulcontemplation Yes, YosugaSister, I did see something very interesting. It was fascinating; that was the first time I have had the opportunity to actually observe an encounter between a Sekirei and a potential Ashikabi. And, by the way, you are exactly right: he is more my type than yours. Not that it matters, I have my Ashikabi. Let me think on what I saw and hopefully this evening I can talk about it with Gregory-kun and see what he thinks. It was… very informative and I think maybe I learned something important about what makes some Sekirei react to some Ashikabi more than others. And how circumstances can make a big difference in whether or not a Reaction takes place._ }

Aloud, Madoka said, "Let us go, Yosu-chan. I would like to get back to the apartment before Gregory-kun returns home."

The pair then left Shinjuku Station for their secured bicycles.

v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v  
v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v

* * *

 

From the Notebooks of Gregory O'Donnell

_**Metapsychics** _

_**Sekirei and Metapsychic Terminology** _

_Activation Threshold_

The arbitrary point that determines how much Metapsychic Power is required to cause a Reaction in a Sekirei. The Activation Threshold is related to the Sekirei's own Metapsychic Power Rating but there are many other (currently unknown) factors that determine what the ultimate Activation Threshold is for each Sekirei.

_Attribute Compatibility_

Twenty attributes (or characteristics) of a metapsychic's nature which are a factor in how compatible two metapsychics are with each other.

_Reaction_

A physical and emotional sensation experienced by a Sekirei in the presence of a potential Ashikabi whose Overall Metapsychic Power Rating exceeds that Sekirei's activation threshold. This sensation is highly pleasant for the Sekirei with many similarities to sexual arousal.

**_Sekirei Wing Bonding_ **

_Attribute Compatibility_

Among the elements that determine if a Sekirei reacts to a potential Ashikabi (so far all potential Ashikabi have been Terran Humans with detectable levels of latent metapsychic abilities), the primary determinant is the metapsychic strength (the Overall Metapsychic Power Rating or OMPR) of the Ashikabi.

See Notebooks Entry 8 for definitions of the various terms such as OMPR related directly to describing metapsychic's power levels. _(Author's Note: Notebook Entry 8 can be found at the end of NGFOM Chapter 12.)_

Each _potential Ashikabi_ has an Overall Metapsychic Power Rating. This is a measure of how strong a metapsychic he is (Latent or Active seems to not matter). Each _Sekirei_ has an "Activation Threshold" that is based on her own Overall Metapsychic Power Rating (though there are other elements that can cause a Sekirei's Activation Threshold to be higher or lower than simply indicated by her OMPR. These elements will be the subject of a future article).

If a potential Ashikabi has a high enough OMPR to equal or exceed the Sekirei's Activation Threshold he will cause a Reaction in the Sekirei. How powerful this reaction is depends on to what degree he exceeded her activation threshold.

Even if a person has detectable latent metapsychic abilities, (i.e. they are a potential Ashikabi) they may not be able to match a target Sekirei's Activation Threshold and thus will not be able to invoke a Wing Bond with that Sekirei. It is also possible for an Ashikabi to meet or exceed one Sekirei's Activation Threshold and thus be able to Wing Bond her yet not be able to Wing Bond a different Sekirei due to failing to meet or exceed the second Sekirei's Activation Threshold.

Two other elements can have a substantial influence on whether or not the Sekirei will React to the potential Ashikabi. First of these elements is Attribute Compatibility. The second is Situational Modifiers.

Both of these elements establish either a positive bonus to the Ashikabi's OMPR (for purposes of comparing to the activation threshold of the target Sekirei only) or a negative penalty to the Ashikabi's OMPR (for purposes of comparing to the activation threshold of the target Sekirei only).

In this article, we will examine the Attribute Compatibility factor.

There are 20 attributes/characteristics that each Ashikabi and each Sekirei have which their metapsychic cores automatically compare when a potential Ashikabi and a Sekirei meet and the Reaction check begins.

We've assigned each of these attributes an alphabet character (consisting of only consonants minus the letter Y). Each attribute is represented by either an upper case letter or a lower case letter.

For example, the Attribute profile for an Ashikabi might be: bCDfghJKLMNpqrStVWxZ

Twenty attributes, each with an upper case or lower case letter describing it.

What each of these attributes are is a complex question not easily answered. For some it is possible to summarize, such as "this is the attribute that says if the person is passive or if they are assertive". However, even that summation is inadequate to truly describe everything the attribute represents. More research on exactly what each of these 20 attributes/characteristics are will need to be done in the future.

Regardless of what all 20 attributes are, they are compared Ashikabi vs Sekirei and the result of the comparison is an additive, or a subtractive, or a neutral, result for each attribute.

Opposite cases are additive when the Ashikabi presents upper case and the Sekirei presents lower case.  
Opposite cases are subtractive when the Ashikabi presents lower case and the Sekirei presents upper case.  
Same case is neutral.

When a Reaction check begins the Ashikabi's attributes are established then the Sekirei's attributes are compared. Thus, the first line would be the Ashikabi and the second line the Sekirei, as follows:

bCDfghJKLMNpqrStVWxZ

vs

BCdfGhJkLMnPQRSTvwXZ

In our example, the potential Ashikabi (the first row) would receive an additive bonus to his effective Overall Metapsychic Power Rating (for purposes of reaching the Sekirei's Activation Threshold) for each case where the Ashikabi is presenting an upper case attribute and the Sekirei presents a lower case attribute. So in this example the Ashikabi would receive a bonus for D, K, N, V, and W attributes.

The Ashikabi receives a negative modifier for his effective Overall Metapsychic Power Rating (for purposes of reaching the Sekirei's Activation Threshold) for each case where he presents a lower case attribute and the Sekirei presents an upper case attribute. In this example, the Ashikabi would receive a negative for B, G, P, Q, R, T, and X.

All attributes which match cases - whether upper case or lower case - have no effect on the encounter.

Continuing with this example, our potential Ashikabi has five attributes that give him a bonus with this Sekirei and seven attributes that give him a negative. Thus, overall he would receive a penalty to his OMPR when determining if he can reach the Sekirei's Activation Threshold.

Note, just because in our example the Ashikabi ends up with an overall penalty to his efforts this does not mean he cannot get a reaction from the Sekirei. He might, for example, start with an Overall Metapsychic Power Rating that far exceeds the Sekirei's activation threshold. So even with the negative penalty from the Attribute Compatibility check he could still exceed the Sekirei's activation threshold. The two may never be aware of the fact that they are not particularly compatible.

Due to Attribute Compatibility and Circumstance Modifiers it is possible for an Ashikabi who does not normally have enough metapsychic power to cause a reaction in a Sekirei to reach that Sekirei's activation threshold. If they are particularly well matched (15 or better complimentary matches and no penalties) the reaction can even be very strong.

Even without a strong reaction it may still be possible for the example Ashikabi to establish a Wing Bond with the example Sekirei. It might require more effort on his part (i.e. it may require substantial circumstantial bonuses) to get him up to the Sekirei's Activation Threshold however.

Any Adept Farsensor can determine what the Attribute profile is for any Latent or Operant metapsychic as long as they know what to look for.

v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v  
v^v|NGFOM5.4|v^v

* * *

 

Started Dec 18, 2015  
First Draft Completed May 22, 2016  
Completed May 24, 2016  
Posted May 24, 2016


End file.
